Kim Clijsters is (8/1 to win Wimbledon Championships 2011) after crushing Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 to claim her third US Open title at Flushing Meadows.

The Belgian was in imperious mood as she swept aside the Russian in a distinctly one-sided final in New York. Her success meant she successfully defended the title she won in 2009 and also added to her success in 2005.

As she did not participate in the event between 2006 and 2008, her triumph on Saturday means she has now won 21 matches in a row at the US Open. Only Chris Evert with 31 has won more than her since the Open era began.

Clijsters’ big game experience paid dividends against Zvonareva as she settled into her stride far earlier than her opponent.

The first five games went with serve but after this, the Belgian never looked back. She was aided to victory by Zvonareva’s 24 unforced errors, whilst the Russian only hit six winners throughout the match.

Speaking after the match, Clijsters admitted that the US Open was her main target going into the summer and that she was delighted that she was able to lift her game when she needed to during the tournament.

She also cited her sluggishness during the opening rounds and was delighted she didn’t succumb to any upsets.

Meanwhile, Zvonareva (16/1 to win Wimbledon) was clearly devastated by her defeat but she denied she had felt overwhelmed. She also admitted that she could not cope physically with Clijsters but hopes to learn from the experience.

She said: “I think I have to learn how to make sure that I recover well and I’m physically fit and ready to play when it comes down to the last matches of the tournament, like semi-finals or finals.”

The Williams sisters are the two favourites to win Wimbledon in 2011, with Serena 7/4f and Venus 11/2.