Schnyder 'super-happy' after dream run ends

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Patty Schnyder was "super-happy" with herself even though her dream run at the Australian Open came to a halt on Thursday.

The Swiss left-hander put a positive spin on her 6-2 7-6 defeat by Kim Clijsters in the Melbourne semi-finals following the best grand slam performance of her career.

"It's still my biggest success ever. I'm obviously disappointed to lose but for me this is still a super, super achievement," said Schnyder, who reached the quarter-finals at the French and U.S. Opens in 1998.

"It was a very close second set and you never know what could have happened in the third. But Kim played an unbelievably good match."

In truth, Clijsters suffered a mental let-down in the second set, allowing Schnyder to run off four straight games for a 6-5 lead. The Belgian regrouped to take the tiebreak 7-2.

"I could have served better in the tiebreak to force a third set but, again, this is the greatest tournament I've played," shrugged the Basel-born Schnyder.

AMAZING RUN

"It's amazing to be in the semis. You never know what could happen if you go on like this. We'll see what happens in the next few grand slams."

The 25-year-old picked up A$300,000 ($232,266) after becoming the first Swiss woman to reach a grand slam semi-final since Martina Hingis finished runner-up in Melbourne two years ago.

Schnyder insisted that she and Colombian Fabiola Zuluaga, who lost the other semi-final to Justine Henin-Hardenne, deserved to reach the last four, despite the absence of several top players through injury.

Last year's winner Serena Williams and former champion Jennifer Capriati did not make the trip, while Venus Williams was beaten in the third round by Lisa Raymond in her comeback after sixth months out.

"Of course, it would be nice for you to see one of the Williams back, probably in a final," said Schnyder.

"But we give our best, the other players... and we deserve to be there."

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