/ 9 January 2010

Clijsters beats Henin in thrilling Brisbane final

Kim Clijsters survived two match points before winning her eagerly awaited rematch with fellow Belgian Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 in the final of the Brisbane International on Saturday.

Clijsters, who made a fairytale comeback last year by winning the US Open, staged a remarkable fightback to claim her 36th career title after a wildy fluctuating match that lived up to all expectations on the Pat Rafter Arena.

Clijsters (26) seemed to be cruising when she won the opening set and led 4-2 in the second before Henin, playing her first tournament since retiring in early 2008, won the next seven games on the trot to seize the initiative.

But the 27-year-old Henin failed to serve out the match when leading 5-4 in the third then squandered two match points before Clijsters eventually wrapped up a thrilling victory in the deciding tiebreak. – Reuters