Clijsters wins 6-1, 6-1 in 1st US Open match since winning 2005 championship

Clijsters wins easily in return to US Open

NEW YORK — The recently unretired Kim Clijsters has easily won her first match at the U.S. Open since taking home the 2005 title. She beat Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine 6-1, 6-1.

Clijsters went ahead 5-0 in 20 minutes and stayed in control throughout, wrapping up the victory by reeling off the last 11 points.

The 26-year-old Belgian left tennis in 2007, got married and had a child. But she returned to the tour this month, and Monday’s victory means she will enter the rankings after the U.S. Open.

Clijsters won 60 of the 88 points against the 79th-ranked Kutuzova and finished with seven aces. Clijsters also showed signs of rust, double-faulting four times.