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SPORTS Friday 13 September 2019
7 years after 2nd ‘retirement,’

Kim Clijsters returns to tennis

By HOWARD FENDRICH Clijsters, who now has three weeks. WTA rules allow
AP Tennis Writer children, left the tour again her, as a past Grand Slam
Seven years after retiring in 2012 and has been work- champion, to receive un-
from tennis a second time, ing as a television broad- limited wild-card invitations
Kim Clijsters is attempting caster. to tournaments and, as
another comeback at age “I do think the level and someone who is older than
36. the power that a lot of the 30, to opt out of mandato-
The former No. 1 and four- women bring is higher than ry appearances at certain
time major champion, who maybe in the past, and events. “I know that I’m not
already is a member of the it’s higher at a consistent going to play — not even
International Tennis Hall of level,” she said. “If I want close to — a full season,”
Fame, announced Thurs- to be able to compete Clijsters said, adding that
day she is planning to re- with these girls, I’m going to her intention is to be ready
turn to the pro tour in 2020, have to be the fittest that I for January.
although she’s not yet ever have been and to be Clijsters said having her kids In this Sept. 13, 2009, file photo, Kim Clijsters holds the trophy after
ready to say exactly when able to move like I did in in school allowed her to get winning the women’s championship over Caroline Wozniacki,
or where or how often she the past.” back on a practice court at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York.
will compete. She said the earliest stages during the day. Associated Press
“My goal right now ... is to of her comeback bid have “I have girlfriends now mom. And I do feel like ... very young when I retired to
be able to get fit enough, been filmed by a docu- who, at times, struggle to ‘Me, too.’ I’m 36 years old. have my first daughter, and
and ready tennis-wise, to mentary crew for the past find ‘me’ time and find I know in four years, I’m came back. To do it now, I
compete at the highest six months, although she their passion and find the not going to be able to do think, to me, is a challenge.
level. That to me would be decided for sure to give time to live for their passion this,” she said. “I’ve always And I love the challenge.
my challenge, as of right this a real try only in recent and still balance being a followed my instincts. I was I’m not afraid of it.”q
now. And if you get to that
stage, then you push your-
self, and then it might be
like, ‘Hmm, let’s see if I can
get, I don’t know, to the
second week of a Grand
Slam.’ I’ll constantly push
myself, I think, if I feel that
I’m getting better and im-
proving,” Clijsters said.
“But it’s very hard for me
to think about right now,
and very unrealistic at this
stage, to think, ‘I want to try
and get to a quarterfinal of
a Grand Slam,’” she said.
“I don’t think like that, be-
cause I’m in the moment,
and I know how much
work I still have ahead.”
Clijsters turned pro in 1997,
won the U.S. Open for
the first time in 2005 and
walked away from tennis
in 2007 at just 23, shortly
before getting married to
an American basketball
player, Brian Lynch.
After about two years away
while having a daughter,
Clijsters returned and soon
won the 2009 U.S. Open,
making her the first mother
to collect a Grand Slam
singles title since Evonne
Goolagong at Wimbledon
in 1980.
With a baseline game built
on terrific court coverage,
the Belgian won another
championship at Flushing
Meadows in 2010, then
added an Australian Open
title the following season
and moved back atop the
rankings.