Kim Clijsters Out of U.S. Open

Two-time defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters of Belgium will not go for three in a row this year because of a stomach muscle injury.

Clijsters, who missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury, pulled out of the WTA tournament in Toronto this month with a muscle strain on the left side of her stomach. In a statement Friday, she said "two weeks of rehab is not enough to heal this injury."

"Obviously I'm very disappointed," she said. "I trained very hard this summer and felt in a good shape to play the U.S. Open."

Clijsters, who is now expected to drop from her ranking of No. 3 in the world, said she would also pull out of tournaments in Japan and China in September.

Fantasy Golf: Buy, Sell, or Hold for the U.S. Open at Congressional

Our national championship will be contested in our nation's capital, that's the way it should be.

It's a perfect setting and a strong field, so it should come down to the wire on Sunday.

Congressional Country Club has hosted two U.S. Opens previously.  In 1976, Dave Stockton took home the title, and in 1997, Ernie Els bested the field shooting 4-under to win the major title.

Tiger Woods is missing from the field, but a bunch of great players are all lined up ready for a chance to win at Congressional.

Here is the buy, sell, or hold.

Buy:

Phil Mickelson (A) - Hasn't missed a cut in 2011.  You have to take Phil at a major.

Dustin Johnson (A) - Long hitter and lots of talent.  He's going to win a major soon.  It might be here.

Steve Stricker (B) - He's playing his best golf and it might be good enough to win this week.

Bubba Watson (B) - He's cooled off from earlier this spring when he was red hot.  If he gets hot this week, he could cause some damage.

Webb Simpson (B) - Webb is having a great year, and they way he's been playing, he could be a factor this week.

Rory McIlroy (C) - It still amazes me to see him as a C-level pick.  Take him.

Zach Johnson (C) - He's played pretty well in his last four events.  He ready for Congressional.

Stewart Cink (C) - He's made six cuts in a row and plays well on tough tracks.

Sell:

Marc Leishman (A) - No reason to ak and up and down Leishman this week.

Fred Funk (B) - Mostly a Champions Tour player now.  He's from the area, but don't get fooled by that.

Daniel Summerhays (C) - Summerhays has played a whopping 19 events so far in 2011.  He's only made 5 cuts.  He must be exhausted.

Hold:

Ernie Els (A) - If you are feeling nostalgic and want to take Ernie this week because he won in 1997, go right ahead.

Be sure to check back on Tuesday for our AudioBoo and our "flyer" of the week.

Nadal Takes U.S. Open

Using dominating groundstrokes and an unmatched ability to run down every ball, Rafa Nadal completed the career Grand Slam by winning the rain-delayed U.S. Open Men's Final.

Novak Djokovic, who defeated Roger Federer in the semis put up a good effort against the Spaniard.  The effort wasn't enough as Nadal prevailed 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. 

It's was Nadal's first U.S. Open Championship, and he for all practical purposes is assured of the #1 ranking for the year.

Congrats to Rafa!

U.S. Open Men's Final Now Monday

Rain in New York has forced the 2010 Men's Singles Final to be pushed until Monday afternoon at 4pm.

Novak Djokovic should be stronger physically getting an extra days rest.  The question is will it be enough against the heavily favored Rafa Nadal?

CBS will beging its coverage at 4pm eastern.

Clijsters Wins Third U.S. Open Crown

Belgian, Kim Clijsters feels right at home in New York.

She claimed her third U.S. Open title with a straight-sets victory over Russian Vera Zvonareva on Saturday night in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

The No. 2 seed breezed through Zvonareva 6-2, 6-1 en route to her second straight championship.

Clijsters broke Zvonareva twice in both sets, which included taking seven consecutive points. Frustrated with how the match was quickly deteriorating, Zvonareva smashed her racket to the ground several times.

Clijsters, who also won the U.S. Open in 2005, extended her match-winning streak in New York to 21.

Before Saturday's victory, Clijsters had dropped two matches to her Russian opponent this year, both quarter-final losses at Wimbledon and the Rogers Cup in Montreal last month

Zvonareva was making her second straight Grand Slam final appearance. She lost to American Serena Williams at the Wimbledon final in July.