Class of Clijsters curtails Serena's winning streak

Kim Clijsters not only stunned Serena Williams to win the WTA Championships here on Monday night, she also dented the aura of invincibility of the world's top player.

Clijsters achieved a surprise 7-5, 6-3 victory over the top-seeded American in 85 minutes in the final of the season-ending event at the Staples Center. The result suggests that there is a ray of hope for the rest of the WTA Tour, who have played in the shadow of the younger Williams sister for much of this season.

At the grand old age of 21, Serena said that her body already "feels pretty old". It was her first defeat in 19 matches.

"You don't really realise how it feels," Clijsters said. "This is definitely my biggest win, and it feels incredible.

"At the time, I couldn't believe when she missed that match point. I couldn't believe I won. I had goosebumps all over my body. It was amazing."

In defeating Williams for the first time in six meetings, Clijsters handed the world No 1 just her fifth loss of the season. "I think Venus and Serena have played so well these last few years and have been up there [in the rankings]," she said. "I think it's nice for the other players to see that they are beatable, and I think that will motivate some other players."

It was the fifth-seeded Clijsters' fourth title of the year and the ninth of her career. In winning two of her previous three events, she arrived in Los Angeles as one of the top players on the tour, second only to Williams, and dropped just 19 games en route to the title.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario announced her retirement from tennis yesterday, bringing to an end a 17-year career that had brought her four Grand Slam singles titles and made her the most successful Spanish woman player in history.

"It hasn't been an easy decision but I believe the moment has arrived for me to dedicate my time to my personal life," Sanchez-Vicario told a packed news conference in her home town of Barcelona.

"I'll keep with me all the marvellous moments I've had in this sport. I'm finishing my career with a great smile and with thanks to everyone who made it possible."

The 30-year-old won the French Open title three times, the first as a 17-year-old in 1989, and the US Open once. She helped her country to five victories in the Fed Cup, and was given the Principe de Asturias award, Spain's highest sporting honour, in 1998.

She represented Spain at four Olympics, winning four medals, rose to the No 1 ranking in the world in 1995 and finished her career with a total of 29 singles titles.