Clijsters Clinches 3rd US Open

Getting to every ball, putting most shots right where she wanted them, Kim Clijsters was so dominant in the US Open final that it would have taken a perfect performance to top her. Vera Zvonareva did not produce one. Far from it. Playing on the blue hard courts she's come to love, Clijsters won a second consecutive US Open championship and third overall by easily beating a shaky Zvonareva 6-2, 6-1 last night in a match that lasted 59 minutes and lacked any drama.

"It's always an honor to go back to a place, especially a Grand Slam, where you've done well and you've won, and you want to bring your best tennis again," Clijsters said. "I know if I bring my best, I'm capable of beating the best players." That she did, including Venus Williams in the semifinals, although Zvonareva—also the runner-up at Wimbledon in July—hardly presented much of a challenge on this night. (More US Open Tennis stories.)