Pierce undone by Clijsters' speed

Clijsters sweeps to title

A defeated Mary Pierce said Kim Clijsters' speed around the court was the decisive factor in their US Open final at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

Pierce lost 6-3 6-1 to the Belgian, who took her first Grand Slam title.

"I give all the credit to Kim because today she was obviously the better player; that is why she won.

"She made me play bad because she's quicker than the other girls that I've played so far. She got another ball back every time."

The Frenchwoman admitted that she had feared the worst from the opening exchanges as she dropped her first service game.

"I knew in the very first game, when she came back to 30-30, it was going to be tough, a very tough match," said Pierce.

"She's got a different style than any girls I've played against this week, or these two weeks. You know, I haven't played Kim in over a year and a half."

There have been a lot of ups and downs, especially last year there was a lot of downs Kim Clijsters More Kim Clijsters reaction

And the 30-year-old admitted that had she won, it may have been time for her to retire.

Asked if she could use her run to the final as a starting point for the rest of her career, she said: "I thought it was going to be an ending point if I won it, but I guess not."

She added: "I'm feeling really good, and I think I'm playing well.

"I just really feel like having a break right now, and not thinking about anything to do with tennis for the moment.

"Hopefully my next goal for the rest of the year that would motivate me would hopefully be to be in the (WTA) Championships at the end of the year."