Clijsters Overtakes Serena as No. 1

Kim Clijsters just turned 20 years old. She has had a lot of firsts in her tennis career, but has yet to win a Grand Slam singles title. With her talent, though, it’s only a matter of time.

Clijsters took the No.1 ranking from Serena Williams after winning the J.P. Morgan Chase Open, defeating Lindsay Davenport in the final, and leading the tour with her sixth title of 2003.

Clearly absent a strong field in Carson, CA, with injuries leaving gaping holes in the draw and the tournament without big names such as Jennifer Capriati and the Williams sisters, Clijsters carried on to another title. This one came with enough points to displace Serena as world No. 1.

Clijsters becomes the 12th woman in WTA ranking history to hold the No. 1 spot, and the first to do so without having won a Grand Slam title. She improves her 2003 record to 58-8, reaching at least the semifinals in all 14 events she’s played.

Consistent play, injury-free, week after week, is what landed Clijsters at the top. Some would argue that the No. 1 ranking still belongs to Serena, who has won five of the last six Grand Slam titles.

Clijsters has not beaten either of the Williams sisters in 2003, so how can she be No. 1? She also lost to Justine Henin-Hardine twice, including a straight-sets loss at the French Open. To the causal observer, those results could suggest Clijsters may be really be No. 4, ranked below the previously mentioned players.

The ranking system is based on points, awarded for the farthest round a player advances in each tournament. Certain tournaments are worth more than others, so of course the more tournaments you play, the more points you get. Clijsters has reached the semifinals or better 14 times. In contrast, Serena has played half as many tournaments, and thus less opportunity to earn points.

Whether you agree that Clijsters should be No. 1or not, the competition is good for the game. She is rewarded for being healthy and playing consistently on tour. Either way, it’s going to be an exciting final Grand Slam event at the 2003 U.S. Open