Kim Clijsters of Belgium saved three match points just before a 74-minute rain break and rallied to beat Maria Sharapova of Russia 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in the Cincinnati Open final.

Clijsters won her third crown of the year at the same $2-million US hard court event where last year she ended a two-year layoff to have a family on her way to winning the U.S. Open title for her second Grand Slam crown.

The victory gave Clijsters, 27, her 38th career singles title.