CHAMPIONS:  WTT PLAYERS WINNING US OPEN TITLES:
Philadelphia Freedoms:  2
Venus Williams (Women's Doubles)
Travis Parrott (Mixed Doubles)

St. Louis Aces:  1 
1 - Kim Clijsters (Women's Singles)

Washington Kastles:  2 
Leander Paes (Men's Singles)
Serena Williams (Women's Doubles)

FINALISTS:  WTT PLAYERS ADVANCING TO FINALS
Sacramento Capitals:  1
Mark Knowles (Men's Doubles)

Washington Kastles:  1
Leander Paes (Mixed Doubles)

Springfield Lasers:  1
Liezel Huber (Women's Doubles)

Let's get this out of the way - everyone loves Kim Clijsters.  The legend of how nice she is oft-repeated but nonetheless true.  However nice doesn't win you an US Open title . . . but precise power-hitting and a killer forehand will do the trick and Clijsters brought all that and more to the two weeks of the US Open.

Clijsters, who had been away from the game for 18 months to start a family, began her return in July with two matches for the St. Louis Aces.  After playing tour events in Cincinnati and Toronto, Clijsters was a sentimental favorite at the US Open but not a top pick of most of the pundits.  She proved those experts wrong with impressive victories over Venus Williams in the quarterfinals and Serena Williams in the semifinals. The fairy tale ending was complete when she beat Caroline Wozniacki in the finals 7-5, 6-3 to the delight of the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd and her young daughter Jada (who seemed equally excited with seeing herself on the huge video board in Arthur Ashe Stadium).

St. Louis Aces General Manager Dani Apted was one of many fans cheering on the first mom to win a Grand Slam title since 1980.  "Every time Kim won a match during the US Open, my phone would explode with texts and updates from Aces fans and friends," said Apted. "I think Aces fans really felt a connection to her when she was here and seeing her win was like watching a family member win the US Open! I hope she knows how proud her "St. Louis Family" is of her and we hope to see her next summer!"

The women's doubles finals looked like a who's who of WTT standouts with the world's top-ranked doubles team and the world's best-known doubles team facing off in a hard-hitting final.  The result was an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win for Venus Williams (Philadelphia Freedoms) and Serena Williams (Washington Kastles) over Liezel Huber (Springfield Lasers) and Cara Black.  It's the 10th Grand Slam doubles title for Venus and Serena as a team.

No one can say that Leander Paes isn't a tough guy.  Charming and affable off the court, he's feisty and aggressive on it.  However it was his ability to play through pain that helped the 2009 WTT Male MVP earn his second Grand Slam doubles title this year (the duo won the French Open in June).  Paes, who suffered a shoulder injury during mixed doubles, teamed with Lukas Dlouhy to outlast the Sacramento Capitals' Mark Knowles and Mahesh Bhupathi 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.  It was the 41st overall pro doubles title for Paes and his fifth Grand Slam championship.

Reserved tickets are $30, $65 and $100, and are available through the LSU Box Office or by calling 800-960-8587.  Tickets can be ordered online at www.wtt.com/smashhits.

Special VIP ticket packages are also available through the Pennington Family Foundation for $1,000.  These tickets include exclusive VIP courtside seating and admission to the Smash Hits VIP Reception and Auction which will be attended by John, King and all players.  Auction items are expected to include a tennis lesson with Roddick, John's piano bench and King's personal Centre Court Wimbledon tickets.  For more information on the VIP Reception, contact Paige Sharber at 225-928-8346.

Smash Hits has raised more than $9 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) and various local AIDS charities since 1993.  This year's event, presented by the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation and hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, will benefit EJAF and AIDS charities serving the Greater Baton Rouge area.