Clijsters ousts Serena as World Number one

The 57-week reign of Serena Williams at the top of the world tennis rankings ended when Kim Clijsters became the new women's …

The 57-week reign of Serena Williams at the top of the world tennis rankings ended when Kim Clijsters became the new women's number one.

Clijsters is the top-ranked player after beating Lindsay Davenport in a dramatic final of the JP Morgan Chase Open in Los Angeles.

The first set was a stroll for Clijsters, but then Davenport made her opponent work hard and after levelling the match at one set apiece, she threatened to spoil the occasion for her Belgian rival.

It developed into a pulsating match and Clijsters was pushed to her limits by the formerly top-ranked Davenport.

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But the American lost her way after the players took a heat break before the deciding third set.

Clijsters raised her game once more to clinch a 6-1 3-6 6-1 victory which took her above injured Serena in the WTA Tour's rankings.

She is the first woman to be top-ranked without having won a grand slam title since the WTA introduced its computer ranking in November 1975.