Notebook

Golf legend Greg Norman joins Hewitt in cheering for Clijsters

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Former tennis No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt and former golf No. 1 Greg Norman sat together at Rod Laver Arena for Saturday's women's final between Hewitt's fiancee, Kim Clijsters, and Justine Henin-Hardenne.

But it's not where Norman hoped Hewitt would be. When Hewitt caddied for Norman at the Australian PGA tournament in December at Coolum, Queensland, Norman said he had never seen Hewitt play, and hoped to watch him at the Australian Open "but only if he's still around late in the second week."

Unfortunately for Norman, Hewitt was beaten by Roger Federer in the quarterfinals last Monday and has been only a cheerleader for Clijsters since. Norman is in Melbourne for next week's Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne, a joint European-Australasian PGA tours event.

Clijsters lost to Henin-Hardenne 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Different winners

While the Williams sisters and now Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne have taken the major share of Grand Slam titles on the women's tour, variety is the way among the men.

Victory by Marat Safin over Roger Federer in Sunday's Australian Open men's final would make the big Russian part of the longest run of different men's Grand Slam champions in the Open era.

If successful Safin will be the ninth successive different Grand Slam winner in a streak that started with Swede Thomas Johansson's victory in Melbourne in 2002, and also includes Albert Costa (2002 French Open), Lleyton Hewitt (2002 Wimbledon), Pete Sampras (2002 U.S. Open), Andre Agassi (2003 Australian Open), Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003 French Open), Federer (2003 Wimbledon) and Andy Roddick (2003 U.S. Open).

The men's game has twice had runs of eight different winners in succession: from Wimbledon 1975 to the 1977 French Open; and from Wimbledon 2000 to the 2002 French Open.

A total of 21 different men have won the Australian Open in the Open era and the tournament is guaranteed a 22nd different winner this year. It will then have tied the French Open for the highest number of different champions among the four Grand Slam tournaments.

Sports fans

Kim Clijsters may now have lost three straight Grand Slam finals to fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne but she maintained her sense of humor after the Australian Open women's final on Saturday.

Clijsters, who lost the decider 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, has become a favorite with Australian fans through her engagement to Australian Lleyton Hewitt.

After Saturday's loss, Clijsters told the capacity center court crowd that she appreciated their knowledge of not just tennis but sports in general.

"You know your sports," Clijsters said at the post-match presentation, "and that's why I am very proud to be marrying an Aussie as well."

The comments drew a huge volley of applause.