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TORONTO, Aug 22: Kim Clijsters continued her torrid streak on Sunday, capturing the $1.3 million Rogers Cup with a convincing 7-5 6-1 victory over fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne in the final.
It was the second straight tournament win for Clijsters, who has a WTA-leading six titles to her credit this year, and her fifth hardcourt championship success of the season.
Erratic Henin-Hardenne hit several balls wide and some into the crowd in the first set, having trouble controlling her shots in the conditions.
The second set belonged to Clijsters, who took a 3-1 lead when Henin-Hardenne double-faulted on break point and did not lose another game from that point.
The final took just one hour and 10 minutes and Clijsters’s total match time was just over four hours for the entire week, thanks to three easy wins and a walk-over.
CINCINNATI (Ohio): Roger Federer crushed Andy Roddick for the sixth time in a row, winning a re-run of the past two Wimbledon finals 6-3, 7-5 here on Sunday in the final of the 2.45-million-dollar ATP Cincinnati Masters.
The Swiss top seed’s 73-minute victory was his 22nd straight triumph in a final, a run dating to 2003 in Gstaad when he lost that final to Jiri Novak.
Federer owns an 18th match win streak, standing 64-3 on the year. He has not lost since a French Open semifinal setback against Rafael Nadal on June 13.
This was his first event since his Wimbledon title and his only US Open tuneup.
As major a concern as the defeat for Roddick was a right foot injury that he suffered in the second set, one that causes great concern for the American as the US Open start looms on August 29, the eve of his 23rd birthday.
The victory gave Federer a fourth Masters Series shield this season after success in Indian Wells, Miami and Hamburg.—Agencies
