Mauresmo parades the diamond-studded racket in Antwerp

Number one seed Clijsters began in blistering fashion, breaking Mauresmo twice to win the opener comfortably.

But the pace of the match began to tell on the Belgian and Mauresmo hit back to seal a 3-6 6-3 6-3 win, her 15th straight win and third title this year.

"Once I found my rhythm I made very few mistakes," said the 26-year-old.

Clijsters, who was undone by a series of errors late on in her comeback event after three weeks out with an ankle injury, admitted: "I came up a bit short and I felt it in my legs.

"I had my chances but it's been a tough week and I thinks it just took its toll.

"But Amelie played very well and is a tough opponent. Since her Masters victory (in November) and at the Australian Open, she has stepped up a level."

The victory means Mauresmo heads for next week's Dubai Open in the knowledge that she will replace Clijsters as world number one if she reaches the final.

"I just take it one tournament at a time and I know I will be tired when I get to Dubai, so who knows," she said.

"Yes, it would be a nice bonus to be number one, but it won't be on my mind."