Whether Williams Sisters Will Meet in the Final Depends on Belgium Players

America and Belgium were far from rivalry in sports world.

However, the two countries are having a match for their proud in the first major tennis championship of the season, the Australian Open.

It was the women`s single quarter final held at the Melbourne Park in Australia on the 22nd. The number one player of the world Serena Williams (USA) easily defeated Megan Shonesy (USA) with a score of 2-0 (6-2, 6-2). Williams, who is seeking a 4 consecutive major championships since last year following the French Open, the Wimbledon, and the US Open, is fighting to go to the finals with the 4th seed Kim Clijsters (Belgium), who defeated Anastasia Myskina (Russia) with a score of 2-0 (6-2, 6-4) also.

Following the confirmation of semifinal match between Serena`s sister Venus (USA) and the 5th seed Justin Henin (Belgium) the other day, the course of the queen of this championship is narrowed between America and Belgium.

Depends of the outcome of the semifinal, the Williams sisters may go to the finals and do the ‘family match’ for four consecutive major championships, or the two Belgian players may play for the championship.

Venus is ahead with 6 wins and 1 loss with Henin including the recent 6 consecutive wins. Serena, who has reached the Australian Open Semi Final for the first time, is showing advantage over Clijsters with 5 wins and 1 loss; however, she lost to her in the most recent meet at the WTA Championship in last November. Serena answered the question of seeking a revenge with ease, “Revenge is up to god. I`m here just to play tennis.”

Clijsters, who is facing Serena who seeks completing the ‘Serena Slam’, is being called the ‘Australia`s Sweet Heart’ and enjoys popularity. It is because her boyfriend is the Aussie tennis player, the number one player of the world, Layton Hewitt. Especially, since Hewitt was excluded at the 4th round of this championship, the Aussie fans want Clijsters get the championship instead. Clijsters predicted, “I am full of power because I’m not losing a set, yet. In order to face Venus or Serena, I must run more and finish it early.” In the meantime, Reiner Shutler (Germany) defeated David Nalvandian (Argentina) with a score of 3-1 at the men`s single and joined the semi finals.

At the second round of the juniors` men`s single, a hopeful Chon, Woong-Sun was defeated by Horia Tekau (Romania) with a score of 0-2, and Kim, So-Jung (Jung-Ang Girls` High Shool) was also excluded at the second round of the juniors` women’s single. Kim, So-Jung, with Kim, Ji-Young (Dongrae Girls` High School); however, defeated the Kisten Plipkens (Belgium) and Darya Ivanov (Australia) couple at the second round of the juniors` women`s double with a score of 2-1.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com