Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams ready to resume old rivalry
Published:After the withdrawal of Serena Williams days before the start of the US Open, all talk turned to who can stop Kim Clijsters – today Serena’s sister will be out to do just that.
Venus Williams is the last American standing from both the men’s and women’s draw at the US Open, and the Flushing Meadows crowd will be desperate to see an American reach a final.
The 30-year-old knows her way around Arthur Ashe, winning back-to-back US Open titles in 2000 and 2001, before losing to Serena in the 2002 final, but hasn’t been seen on Arthur Ashe in a final since.
Clijster’s is the reigning champion and is in sparkling form, Venus will have to overcome odds of 7/4 if she is to grant the Flushing Meadows crowd their wish of an American in the final.
Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters have done battle on 12 occasions since 2001, they cannot be split with six wins each but Clijsters has won the last four in a row, and is 11/10 to repeat the 2-0 victory when they met in Miami earlier this year.
Clijsters may just hold the edge with three final wins to Venus’ two, and the Belgian is 2/5 to progress today.
Serena’s withdrawal left Venus with the proverbial monkey clinging to her back, Venus has never won a tournament in which her sister hasn’t participated, and she will have to fight hard if she is to progress today.
The two have met in the 2005 and 2009 US Open and both times the match has gone the distance – Clijsters is 13/5 to win in three sets whilst Venus is 4/1.
Williams is 9/2 to go on and win the competition. See the full US Open tennis betting market here.
