The Scoop: SUNDAY, MAY 18

Clijsters comes from behind to take Italian Open
Navratilova: never too old to win; Coria waves Argentine flag in Hamburg;
Blake on Gullikson board

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA, Inc.

If Serena Williams isn't in Kim Clijsters' path, the Belgian appears to have a good chance at success.

At the Italian Open on Sunday, Clijsters mounted an impressive come from behind win to take her third title of the year with a 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 victory over Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo. Clijsters, who also won trophies at Sydney and Indian Wells this season, trailed Mauresmo 6-3, 2-0 down a double break before rebounding. The win was a big boost for Kim, who lost a tough three-setter to countrywoman Justine Henin-Hardenne in last week's German Open.

"I think at the beginning of the match I was making too many unforced errors," said the second-ranked Clijsters. "I tried not to give it to her at the end. If she did too good on those points, then she would have won. I just kept hanging in there. It's nice after Berlin last week where I had a few match points to win when you were down, too. It was very important I think to save the breakpoints because if she went 3-0 up in the second it would have been very difficult to come back."

Mauresmo was two points from closing out the match at 6-3, 6-5, 30-15, but as has happened before, the Frenchwoman could not keep her head or momentum on the task at hand. Mauresmo was of the opinion that her 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 semifinal victory over Serena Williams – only the second loss of the year for Williams – might have drained her of the ability to close out Clijsters in the final.

"I really wanted to start well today," said Mauresmo, who sideswiped Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals. "In the second set it was getting very difficult for me physically. With yesterday's match, I guess I would have needed some extra energy to finish it. She had an easier match than me yesterday and it's good for her. You've got to five her credit to stay in the match and finally win it. I don't have any regrets."

Mauresmo is superbly talented but her attitude seems to be off-kilter more often than not. She only stood two points from winning the match in two sets so her physical ability should not have been in question, but we must continue to wonder about her mental fortitude in tricky situations. And while it appears very kind of her to give Clijsters credit for the win, she shouldn't be so kind to herself in not having regrets;this was a match that should have landed Mauresmo in the winner's circle and she opened the door to the Belgian instead of slamming shut in her face.

Navratilova: never too old to win
For Martina Navratilova, being 46 is still a spring chicken in terms of winning tennis titles.

Navratilova teamed with Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia to win the Italian Open doubles trophy over fourth seeds Jelena Dokic and Nadia Petrova 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Navratilova and Kuznetsova, the fifth seeds, have now added a third title to their partnership this year, having won the Gold Coast and Dubai titles.

"I know I don't play as well as my best 20 years ago, but people don't care," Navratilova told the media upon winning her 170th career doubles title. "I love what I do. I have a passion for tennis and a passion for life."

The win marked the third time in her career that Navratilova won the Italian Open doubles title: She won in 1975 with Chris Evert and in 1987 with Gabriela Sabatini.

Navratilova's 17-year-old partner was walking away with her sixth career doubles title and will head into Roland Garros doubles with the living legend by her side.

Coria waves Argentine flag in Hamburg

Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA, Inc.

There was no doubt that an Argentine player would win the Tennis Masters-Hamburg title since all four semifinalists – Guillermo Coria, Agustin Calleri, '02 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian and Gaston Gaudio.

Coria landed the win with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Calleri in the final Sunday.

The 21-year-old Coria, who only dropped one set through to victory, was hoping that the sensational showing of Argentine players would be of benefit to hopeful players in his country.

"It's very important for tennis in Argentina, of course," Coria said. "The economic situation is bad in Argentina, so maybe the junior players don't get a chance to travel and fulfill their talent. They don't have he opportunity. So, maybe, if we keep winning we keep the door open for them to continue their career."

Coria, who fell to Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final of the Tennis Masters-Monte Carlo event last month, repeated the feat of his namesake, Guillermo Vilas, the last Argentine to win the Hamburg title back in 1978.

"It's very nice to follow in his footsteps in this tournament and be the second Argentinean to win here," said Coria, whose parents named him after the four-time Grand Slam titlist. "All of us, we're still very far from his achievements. I will be happy if I achieve half of what he did."

The 26-year-old Calleri, who captured his first career ATP title in Acalpulco this year, was unable to attack Coria on his weaker forehand flank to make a big enough impact in the match.

"I'm happy with the week in Hamburg," Calleri said. "I got to the final of a Tennis Masters Series. I wish it could happen every week. I tried to play my best tennis today but I wasn't sharp enough. I was too erratic."

Blake on Gullikson board
The official announcement has not been made as of yet, but James Blake has accepted a position on the Board of Directors of the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation.