TENNIS: Clijsters wins first Australian Open crown

MELBOURNE, Australia - Kim Clijsters believes she's now earned the nickname she had for years in Australia.

"I finally feel like you guys can call me 'Aussie Kim' because I won the title," a teary Clijsters said after beating China's Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 Saturday night to capture her first Australian Open. "It's nice to finally get it this year."

Clijsters lost the 2004 Australian Open final to Justine Henin and lost four times in the semifinals. This was Clijsters' fourth Grand Slam tournament championship, but the first apart from the U.S. Open.

"To win it in this way means a lot," she told a TV interviewer after the match. "This one to me, is the one. When I think back on my childhood, I remember watching the Australian Open and seeing Monica Seles win many times. I think they used to go up into the stands. I remember her doing her speech there, and it was something that I was just amazed by. It seemed like such a fairy tale."

Li was trying to become the first Asian to win a major, and the final was far from a smooth ride. She complained to the chair umpire about the Chinese fans and was bothered by photographers' flashes in the courtside pits. The outbursts from all over the arena were jarring.

"They shouted 'finish her off!' sometimes even when we were hitting the ball," Li said through a translator. "I thought, 'How can they do this?'"

Clijsters started convincingly, winning the first eight points for a 2-0 lead. Then Li rallied. She got her forehand working and fired winners with her two-handed backhand.

Clijsters looked unsettled, dropping serve four straight times. She then decided to mix it up after Li won the first set and took a 3-2 lead in the second. That's when Li's game started to fold. Perhaps the pressure of being the first Chinese in a Grand Slam final was getting to her.

Li became increasingly rattled. After she held for 3-2 in the second set, Clijsters upped the ante, winning he next three games to regain control. In the third set, Clijsters broke to lead 4-1, and the match was all but over.

Li was not sure to what extent her excellent showing in Australia registered at home. China's official broadcaster said 15 million watched the live broadcast of the final. Li said that was hardly more than Australia, a nation of 22 million.

"Tens of millions is nothing. Over 80 percent of the people in Australia watch tennis; we can't compete," she said.