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Jada seemed more interested in the bank of ravenous photographers than the gleaming trophy but it will be forever remembered as one of the more touching moments in recent women's tennis history.

It was the start of a long night.

"I remember the night after I'd won, being in New York, trying to find some food for the team," Clijsters told me in an interview first broadcast on 5 Live's Sportsweek.

"We were walking around New York and the streets were quiet, I'm talking 2.30 in the morning, and I was crying because of the whole emotion [of it] after losing my dad at the start of the year and the whole change of emotion that had happened, and so quickly."

Did they find anywhere open to celebrate?

"We did! and I guess we can always count on the irish to provide us with beer!

"We had a few drinks andwas still open so that was nice. Because I like to eat extremely healthily during all my tournaments, a slice of pizza felt like such a treat!"

Clijsters had become the first mum to win a major since

She must have heard the 'I' word - inspiration - a thousand times since that New York night?

"It does happen a lot and it's nice to have an impact like that, but that's not why I did it.

"I didn't do it because I wanted to be this icon or whatever, it's because I had a personal goal I wanted to achieve.

"I think any mother tries to find balance in their life, whether it's between work and motherhood, and the combination for me is very important because if I'm not spending enough time with Jada, or too much time at the courts, I'm not going to feel as comfortable playing and maybe [start to] think of tennis as a burden.

"That's something I don't want, so it's very important for me to be first of all a mother. That's the most important thing in my life."

Clijsters used her experience to comfortably win through the opening rounds and negotiate , before putting away fresh-faced in the final.

Experience is telling right now in the women's game. The winner of the last five majors has been in her mid-to-late twenties. Clijsters is 27, Serena is 28, and Venus Williams is now 30.

Not so long ago, 25 seemed old as teenage stars mounted a WTA takeover but the return of Clijsters and Justine Henin, coupled with the extraordinary longevity of the Williams sisters, has provided a reality check. The kids may be good, but are they tough enough?

"I think especially Venus and Serena, they have raised the level and intensity of the women's game to a point where it can't become any more physical," says Clijsters,

"They are some of the hardest hitters, fastest movers and we've all had to adjust.

"A lot of the younger girls... they are ready to beat top players but to win Grand Slams and physically do it for seven matches at a time, I think physically it's just a bit harder and you need to rely more on experience and knowing how to deal with certain emotions in those big matches against big players."

So what about Kim Clijsters' remaining goals? Wimbledon?

"When [this year] I think I was probably the most disappointed I had ever been after a loss.

"Obviously I would like to do well there. I was there a lot with my dad, it was his favourite tournament, so I would like to win it for my dad one day."

Would winning Wimbledon provide the perfect moment to retire for a second time?

"I don't really think about that just yet but my husband and I would like to have more children. We would like to have a second baby but I know that it would probably be a lot harder for me to get back into shape and come back.

"Obviously these are decisions you have to make and think about very carefully but I'm a mother and a second baby is something I would want, just not yet!"