Kim Clijsters: How Did She Save 5 Match Points at the Sony Ericsson Open?

So, you think the body plays a bigger role in tennis than the mind? Don't tell that to Ana Ivanovic, who lost to world No. 2 Kim Clijsters 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-6(5) on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami despite leading 5-1 in the third and deciding set—and blowing five match points that could've sealed the deal.

Clijsters, a four-time Grand Slam champion, made arguably the most remarkable comeback of her tennis career and qualified for the quarterfinals in Miami, leaving Ivanovic stunned and in tears.

Why do superstars like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Clijsters all seem to win just about every time it matters? It's not just because they're all great athletes—it's because they also play better during the key portions of a match. They're not afraid to take risks on break points or match points.

It's exactly why Clijsters, who didn't play well overall against Ivanovic, managed to find the necessary openings to reverse the scoreline of a match she should've lost.

Even when they have a bad day at the office, the greats always seem to find a way to reverse the course of match for three major reasons: They've got experience, they believe in themselves, and they believe their opponent will likely choke at the most important points of the match.

Ivanovic led 5-1 in the final set and had five chances to claim her most significant win since her French Open triumph in 2008—and it's likely the pressure of that potential accomplishment got to her.

Ivanovic played a better match than Clijsters, but the Belgian knew she just had to hit three solid returns on the first three match points and hope for the Serbian to buckle under pressure and start to make mistakes.

And on Ivanovic’s last two match points, Clijsters, a three-time US Open champion, managed to make winners when it counted—something Ivanovic couldn't.

That's all due to those three tenets mentioned earlier: Clijsters believed in herself, she had the experience advantage, and she knew that Ivanovic wouldn't play her best at the most important points of the match.

With all five of Ivanovic's match points wasted, Clijsters just had to stay focused for five successive games and an eventual tiebreak—and you knew she wouldn't lose after digging out of that hole.

On the other side of the net, Ivanovic kept thinking about those five missed opportunities and couldn’t control her emotions—or her game.

The margin between the two kept shrinking and shrinking, and everyone watching could see what was coming. In truth, the match was over even before the umpire said, "game, set, match—Clijsters."