Clijsters outlasts Li for Aussie title

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, last 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 major singles tournament championship, but the first apart from the U.S. Open.

"To win it in this way means a lot," she said 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?' "

In doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan successfully defended their title, beating Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, 6-3, 6-4, for their fifth Australian crown and 10th major doubles title.

The Bryans have held the No. 1 doubles ranking the past eight years. They have also won the U.S Open three times and the French Open and Wimbledon once each.

Early this morning New York time, Andy Murray hoped to win his first major and end an almost 75-year drought for British men at the majors when he met No. 3 Novak Djokovic in the men's final.