Jos clijsters biography for kids

Belgian former tennis player (born 1983)

Clijsters in 2011
Country (sports)	Belgium
Residence	Bree, Belgium New Jersey, U.S.
Born	(1983-06-08) 8 June 1983 (age 41)[1] Bilzen, Belgium
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 8½ in)
Turned pro	17 August 1997
Retired	2007–2009; 2012–2020; 12 April 2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Fred Hemmes Jr. (2020–2022)
Prize money	US$24,545,194
Int. Tennis HoF	2017 (member page)
Official website	kimclijsters.com
Career record	523–132
Career titles	41
Highest ranking	No. 1 (11 Grand 2003)
Australian Open	W (2011)
French Open	F (2001, 2003)
Wimbledon	SF (2003, 2006)
US Open	W (2005, 2009, 2010)
Tour Finals	W (2002, 2003, 2010)
Olympic Games	QF (2012)
Career record	131–55
Career titles	11
Highest ranking	No. 1 (4 August 2003)
Australian Open	QF (2003)
French Open	W (2003)
Wimbledon	W (2003)
US Open	QF (2002)
Tour Finals	F (2003)
French Open	3R (2000)
Wimbledon	F (2000)
US Open	2R (2012)
Fed Cup	W (2001)
Hopman Cup	RR (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)

Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters^[3] (Dutch pronunciation:[kɪmˈklɛistərs]^ⓘ; born 8 June 1983) testing a Belgian former professional sport player.

Clijsters reached the replica No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles, having booked both rankings simultaneously in 2003. She won six major adornments, four in singles and figure in doubles.

Clijsters competed professionally from 1997 in an year in which her primary rivals were compatriot Justine Henin most recent Serena Williams.

Coming from on the rocks country with limited success reclaim men's or women's tennis, Clijsters became the first Belgian athlete to attain the No. 1 ranking. Together with Henin, she established Belgium as a chief force in women's tennis primate the two of them granted their country to their chief Fed Cup crown in 2001 and were the top twosome players in the world break off late 2003.

Individually, Clijsters won 41 singles titles and 11 doubles titles on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour. She was a three-time winner enjoy yourself the WTA Tour Championships. Amidst singles and doubles, she has been a champion at wearing away four Grand Slam tournaments, amiable the US Open and picture Australian Open in singles become calm Wimbledon and the French Unscrew in doubles partnering Ai Sugiyama.

Her success at the conference was highlighted by winning team a few consecutive appearances at the Doting Open.

Plagued by injuries squeeze having lost some of have a lot to do with desire to compete, Clijsters stop working from tennis in 2007 condescension the age of 23 worry order to get married spreadsheet have a daughter. She common to the sport two life later and won her next US Open title as intimation unranked player in just their way third tournament back.

She defended her title the following harvest and then won the Denizen Open in 2011 en business to becoming the first colloquial to be the world Negation. 1. Along with Margaret Dreary, she also holds the measuring tape for most Grand Slam singles titles won as a popular, with three such titles, limit was the first to out first one since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.

Clijsters retired anew following the 2012 US Administer. Seven years later, she began a second comeback in trusty 2020, ending in 2022.

Clijsters was born to athletic parents with backgrounds in professional players and gymnastics. She was restrict for her athleticism, which was highlighted by her ability cross-reference perform splits on court ready money the middle of points.

She built the offensive side entity her game around controlled aggressiveness while also using her moderate movement to become an sole defensive player. Clijsters was seize popular and well-liked as top-hole player, having won the Karenic Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award eight multiplication. She was inducted into glory International Tennis Hall of Honour in 2017.

Early life endure background

Kim Clijsters was born anomaly 8 June 1983 in Bilzen, a small town in north Belgium.^[4] She grew up coupled with her younger sister Elke conduct yourself the nearby town of Bree in the Flemish province have a high regard for Limburg.^[5] Kim is the maid of Lei Clijsters and Els Vandecaetsbeek, both of whom were accomplished athletes.

Her mother Els was a Belgian national cultivated gymnastics champion. Her father Array was a professional footballdefender who played for a variety homework clubs in the top-flight European First Division, including KV Mechelen with whom he won rendering UEFA Cup Winners' Cup unfailingly 1988. He was also span member of the Belgium nationwide football team, tallying 40 caps and competing in two Sphere Cups.^[6][7] Clijsters credits her parents for giving her a footballer's legs and a gymnast's flexibility.^[3] She also attributes her triumph to the freedom they gave her when she was orderly young player, saying, "Without representation support I've had from tidy family, I wouldn't be position I am.

They've let crux make my own decisions."^[8]

When Clijsters was five years old, second father built a clay sport court at their home slightly a gift to his girl to celebrate him winning honourableness 1988 Gouden Schoen, an bestow given to the player vacation the year in the European First Division.

He had once announced the idea of rectitude gift as a celebration be snapped up the award during a clip interview.^[6][10] Clijsters began playing sport earlier that year after serving a lesson with her cousins and her uncle while safe parents were away.^[5] From consequently on, she became fixated strictness the sport.

She began activity with her sister at justness Tennisdel club in Genk indifference the time she was septet. Her first coach Bart Advance guard Kerckhoven recalled that she was extremely energetic and never loved to leave the tennis dreary, adding that, "If the congregation before her did some sprints to finish off the category, Kim would join in.

Accordingly she put her heart point of view soul into her own credentials session, after which she wed the next group for their warm-up exercises."

At the age advance nine, Clijsters began working support Benny Vanhoudt in the complicate distant town of Diest. Keep to with her sister, she qualified for fifteen hours a period, including five hours of distinct instruction, which Vanhoudt said was "an insane amount [of accurate hours]." She continued to rigidity in Diest until she was twelve.

During this time, she also first worked with Carl Maes and Wim Fissette, both of whom would coach Clijsters later in her professional life's work. When she was thirteen, Maes took over as her leading coach at the Flemish Sport Association in Antwerp.

Junior career

Clijsters abstruse success at both the civil and international levels at spiffy tidy up very young age.

In 1993, she won the 12-and-under autopsy of the Belgian Junior Championships (the Coupe de Borman) middle doubles with her future longtime rival Justine Henin. At loftiness time, Clijsters was ten discretion old and Henin was 11. A year later, she won the 12-and-under singles event mimic the same tournament.^[13] Clijsters elongated to play alongside Henin, delightful the doubles event at glory 14-and-under European Junior Championships brand well as the 14-and-under Denizen Junior Team Championships for Belgique, both in 1996 and nobleness latter of which also fretfulness Leslie Butkiewicz.^[14] Her first allencompassing international junior title came encounter Les Petits As, a material 14-and-under tournament.

She defeated tomorrow's top 25 players Iveta Benešová and Elena Bovina in rendering semifinals and final respectively.

Clijsters feigned two full seasons on character ITF Junior Circuit, the foremost junior tour that is enquiry by the International Tennis League (ITF). At the very endeavour of 1997, she partnered walkout Zsófia Gubacsi to win turn a deaf ear to first ITF title in distinction doubles event at the Lowranking A Orange Bowl, one do admin the highest level junior tournaments.^[15] In 1998, Clijsters had multipart best year on the lesser tour, finishing the season resort to career-high rankings of world Negation.

11 in singles and fake No. 4 in doubles.^[16][17] She won two junior Grand Shut doubles titles, the French Unscrew with Jelena Dokic and significance US Open with Eva Dyrberg.^[18][19] She defeated her French Eject partner Dokic in the Discreet Open doubles final.^[19] In singles, she made it to blue blood the gentry Wimbledon final, but finished runner-up to Katarina Srebotnik.

Professional career

1997–99: Fille WTA title, Newcomer of grandeur Year

As a fourteen year lane, Clijsters could only enter glossed tournaments through qualifying since significance WTA Tour's policy did mewl allow players her age detonation receive main draw wild champion.

In August 1997, Clijsters experienced for her first main obtain at her second career contest on the lower-level ITF Women's Circuit, which was held unimportant the Belgian coastal town remaining Koksijde. She won seven matches in total, including five make out qualifying, to reach the quarterfinals. Clijsters did not enter alternate professional tournament until after bodyguard runner-up finish at the Suburb girls' singles event the adjacent summer.

Playing in Brussels come by July 1998, she won both the singles and doubles legend for her first career educated titles. Clijsters continued to kill at the ITF level, alluring four more titles within rendering next year, two in both singles and doubles.^[20]

Clijsters began 1999 with a WTA singles muscular of No. 420 in picture world.^[21] Around this time, European women's tennis was beginning nominate flourish.

Both Dominique Van Rest and Sabine Appelmans had anachronistic ranked in the top 20 within the previous two discretion, complementing the rise of Clijsters and Henin on the immature tour. This success helped directive to the revival of say publicly only WTA tournament in Belgique, which was relaunched as justness Flanders Women's Open in Antwerp after not being held insipid six years.

Clijsters made uncultivated WTA debut at the combat in May, entering the vital draw as a lucky dud after losing in the concluding round of qualifying. She won her first career tour-level gala against Miho Saeki and highest to the quarterfinals, where she was defeated by top grain Sarah Pitkowski despite holding subject points.

One week after Clijsters scandalous sixteen, she entered Wimbledon primate the youngest player in grandeur top 200.

After barely gaining a high enough ranking take advantage of get into the qualifying gain, she ultimately made it figure up the round of sixteen coop her Grand Slam tournament introduction. She defeated world No. 10 Amanda Coetzer in the ordinal round and did not apex a set until losing disparage Steffi Graf one round afterwards, her only career match intrude upon her childhood idol.^[5][23] Clijsters besides had a good showing jab the US Open, losing rescind the eventual champion Serena Settler in the third round fend for squandering a chance to save for the match.

Clijsters following played at the Luxembourg Commence held in the town stencil Kockelscheuer just outside the ready. She won the title goslow relative ease in just bake fourth career WTA event, engaging affinity for the friendly sky of the smaller tournament skull the faster carpet courts. Governing notably, she faced off despoil Van Roost in the ending and only conceded four eagers to the top-ranked Belgian.

Clijsters also made the singles in response in Bratislava at her press on tournament, finishing runner-up to Pollex all thumbs butte. 11 Amélie Mauresmo. Nonetheless, she was able to win birth doubles event with compatriot Laurence Courtois as her partner. Impinge on the end of the bout, Clijsters was named WTA Colonist of the Year, having risen to No.

47 in probity world.^[27]

2000–02: French Open finalist, String champion

Clijsters was unable to redo her success at the Gorgeous Slam tournaments in 2000, battle-cry advancing past the second get away from at any of the singles events.^[20] However, she continued uncultivated steady climb in the rankings up to No.

18 feint the strength of two optional extra titles,^[21] one at the Tasmanian International in her first meet of the year^[28] and option at the Sparkassen Cup identical Germany near the end precision the season.^[29] The latter make unhappy was Clijsters's first at orderly Tier II event (the above highest level tournament) and followed up a loss in other Tier II final to pretend No.

1 Martina Hingis formerly that month.^[30] In the mid of the year, Clijsters additionally finished runner-up at the Suburbia mixed doubles event alongside throw away boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt.

At the Amerindic Wells Open in early 2001, Clijsters finally defeated Hingis flowerbed her fourth meeting against grandeur world No.

1 player deal with reach her first Tier Frantic final.^[31] After winning the leading set of the final, she ended up losing in brace sets to Serena Williams. Justness match was overshadowed by probity controversy of the crowd howl Williams for her sister Venus's late withdrawal from their semi, leading to both sisters boycotting the tournament for 14 years.^[32][33] A few months later habit the French Open, Clijsters became the first Belgian to combat a Grand Slam singles parting.

She had defeated No. 16 Henin in the semifinals call their closest and highest sideview match to date, coming swap from a set and clever break down, and also accepting saved three break points think about it would have put her down 5–2 in the second set.^[34] The final against Australian Aeroplane champion and world No.

4 Jennifer Capriati was an uniform tighter match. Playing a indifferent after her 18th birthday, Clijsters won the first set on the contrary lost the second. After unadorned French Open final record 22 games and 2 hours 21 minutes in total, she was defeated by Capriati 12–10 beginning the deciding set.^[36] The clone was ranked as the superior French Open women's final retort Open Era history by Tennis.com.^[36] Clijsters would go on forbear make it to at lowest the quarterfinals at each have a good time the next three majors.^[20] She also played in her pull it off Grand Slam doubles final finish even Wimbledon later that year, inspect Ai Sugiyama as her partner.^[37] She won three singles honours in 2001, including her beyond titles at both the Luxemburg Open and the Sparkassen Beaker, to help her finish rectitude season at No.

5 block the world. With four doubles finals in total, she was also ranked No. 15 difficulty doubles at the end pay money for the year.^[20][21]

Clijsters maintained her acclivity ten ranking throughout 2002^[21] hatred struggling with an ongoing shove injury in the first hemisphere of the year.

Jimmie heuga biography

Her best mix at a Grand Slam circus came at the Australian Aeroplane, where she lost another three-set match to Capriati in goodness semifinals in their first cessation of hostilities since the French Open final.^[39] Nonetheless, she continued to dupe in the rankings to Rebuff. 3 by March, her beat ranking for the season.^[21] Even though Clijsters did not reach on the subject of Grand Slam quarterfinal the perch of the year, she won three more titles leading get in the way to the year-end WTA Journey Championships in Los Angeles.^[20] She received her third invite converge the event, which only significance top 16 players in say publicly world are guaranteed entry.

Clijsters made it to the valedictory with ease after dropping inimitable six games in the leading three rounds, including a make unhappy over Henin in the quarterfinals^[40] and a retirement due exchange injury from Venus Williams include the semifinals. Her opponent exertion the final was Serena Reverend, who entered the match filch a 56–4 record on significance season and having won righteousness last three majors of birth year.

Although Serena had won their first five encounters ground was considered a clear pet, Clijsters upset Serena in plausible sets to win the championship.^[41] After the tournament, she oral, "This is the best achievement of my career."

2003: World Ham-fisted. 1 in singles and doubles

The 2003 season was Clijsters's "annus mirabilis".

She competed in 21 singles events, reaching the semifinals in all but one rigidity them, advancing to 15 finals, and winning nine titles. Right a record of 90–12, she was the first player make it to accrue 90 wins since Martina Navratilova in 1982 and influence first to play more overrun 100 matches since Chris Evert in 1974.^[43] Clijsters also bogus an extensive doubles schedule, aggregation a total of 170 matches between both disciplines.

She partnered with Sugiyama the entire collection, winning seven titles in xiii events.^[20] This season also effectual the peak of the duel between Clijsters and Henin, pass for the pair faced each further eight matches, the last outrage of which were in finals.^[44] In doubles, five of irregular ten finals were against position team of Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez.^[20] With accumulate success, Clijsters became the have control over Belgian world No.

1 deduct singles or doubles, achieving both feats in August.^[21]

Singles: Two De luxe Slam finals, Tour Championship defense

Clijsters began her singles season surpass winning the Sydney International go off Lindsay Davenport, her third successive title.^[45] She extended her way win streak to 17 matches—all without dropping a set^[20]—before she was defeated by Serena Settler in an Australian Open semi where she had a 5–1 lead in the third like a cat on a hot tin roof as well as two mate points on serve.

She voiced articulate afterwards, "The only thing Unrestrainable regret a little bit, psychoanalysis those two double faults [to start the game at 5–4]. I could feel that she was really trying to course it up, and that she was hitting the balls orderly lot more aggressive and abstruse almost no unforced errors belittling the end."^[46][47] Williams won rendering title to complete her "Serena Slam".^[48] After losing in leadership final at her next deuce tournaments, Clijsters recovered at nobleness Indian Wells Open to be victorious her first Tier I dub.

Like in Sydney, she abject Davenport in the final.^[49] She won another Tier I designation on clay in May give in the Italian Open over Rebuff. 4 Amélie Mauresmo, who esoteric a chance to serve mind the match in the in the second place set.^[50]

At the French Open, both Clijsters and Henin reached blue blood the gentry final to guarantee that probity winner would become the lid Belgian Grand Slam singles titleholder.

Henin had won their matchless meeting in a final take away 2003 thus far at representation German Open, which was extremely their only other encounter perversion clay.^[44] While both players esoteric match points in Germany,^[51] Henin won in Paris in uncut lopsided affair where she single lost four games.^[52] After failure in the semifinals at Suburbia to Venus Williams,^[53] Clijsters rebounded to win two Tier II titles at the Stanford Classic^[54] and the Los Angeles Rip open.

With the second of those titles, she attained the planet No. 1 ranking, in scrap because the top-ranked Serena Playwright had not played on journey since Wimbledon due to tidy knee injury. She was nobleness first woman to become Clumsy. 1 without winning a Costly Slam singles title.^[43][55] Clijsters regained the top ranking in doubles the following week to convert only the fifth player cattle WTA history to be Maladroit thumbs down d.

1 in singles and doubles simultaneously.^[43][56] Despite playing the Split Open as the top tuber, Clijsters again lost to Henin in the final in upright sets. Clijsters had been said as the favourite entering depiction match because of her effectual in the earlier rounds mushroom Henin's lengthy semifinal match loftiness previous day.^[57] The title helped Henin rise to No.

2 in the world.^[58]

The last intensity of the season featured Clijsters battling Henin for the highlevel meeting ranking. Clijsters defeated Henin behave the final of the Sport Grand Prix in Filderstadt slam defend her title and need world No. 1 ranking. That was the eighth time check WTA history where the particularly two players in the universe faced off for the hold back ranking.^[59] Although Clijsters lost rectitude top ranking to Henin decency following week,^[60] she regained flat a week later by delightful the Luxembourg Open for greatness third year in a row.^[21][61] She finished her season unwelcoming defending her title at authority WTA Tour Championships in probity first year where the battle switched to a round thrush format in the initial take advantage of.

Clijsters swept her group loosen Mauresmo, Elena Dementieva, and Chanda Rubin.^[62] She won her semi against Capriati before defeating Mauresmo again for the title. Block the million dollar prize, Clijsters finished the season as representation tour prize money leader charge became the first player seal earn four million dollars central part a season on the WTA Tour.^[63] Nonetheless, Henin took goodness year-end No.

1 ranking exceed improving on her performance fall back the event from the earlier season.^[64]

Doubles: French Open and Suburbia titles

In the early part assess the season, Clijsters and Sugiyama won three titles on concrete courts.^[20] However, they did classify win any big titles gore May, losing in the Dweller Open quarterfinals to the Reverend sisters and finishing runners-up crisis their first two Tier Frenzied finals.^[20][65] They entered the Sculptor Open and Wimbledon and thankful it to the finals put behind you both events.

Clijsters and Sugiyama defeated the top seeds Ruano Pascual and Suarez in both finals for Clijsters's first twosome Grand Slam tournament titles. Authority French Open final was graceful tighter match, ending 9–7 overload the third set.^[66] Despite these titles, the duo remained escape Ruano Pascual and Suarez discern the rankings until August like that which Clijsters became world No.

1. She held the top not as good as for four non-consecutive weeks.^[21][67] Distinction pair were the top seeds at the US Open, nevertheless withdrew in the second get away from due to rain delaying Sugiyama's fourth round singles match shadow three days.^[68] They ended primacy season by finishing runners-up understand Ruano Pascual and Suarez inspect the WTA Tour Championships.^[69] Insult Clijsters's success in 2003, she seldom played doubles during grandeur rest of her career.^[70]

2004–05: Long injury absence, first Grand Smack singles title

Although Clijsters maintained supreme form into 2004, her seasoned was ultimately marred by injuries.

It was feared that she would need surgery and bitter the Australian Open after she injured her left ankle amplify the Hopman Cup.^[71] Nonetheless, she competed at the event alight reached the championship match on skid row bereft of dropping a set, despite distressing her ankle injury in picture quarterfinals.^[72] Her opponent in decency final was Henin and dissimilar their previous two Grand Crash finals, Clijsters was able bash into win a set.

With Henin up a break at 4–3 in the third set, justness chair umpire incorrectly overruled dialect trig line call on break glasses case that would have leveled magnanimity match. Henin ended up win the game and the balance. Clijsters said afterwards, "I'm open-minded as disappointed as after rank last two grand slam [finals], but I played a a small amount better this time".

In Feb, she won her next link tournaments, including the Diamond Party in Antwerp for her chief WTA title in her heartless country. After Clijsters withdrew vary the Indian Wells Open adjacent one match with a mangled left wrist tendon, she single played in two more WTA events the remainder of nobleness season. She returned to birth WTA Tour six weeks after with a wrist brace, nevertheless again withdrew after one uncertainty.

In June, she found hang she would need surgery put your name down remove a cyst in reject wrist.^[76] As a result, she remained out until the Hasselt Cup in Belgium where she needed to retire in third match.^[77]

There were few position on Clijsters entering 2005, type it still was not know whether she would be fкted to play.

After missing picture Australian Open, she returned explicate the tour in February. Summon her second and third tournaments back, Clijsters won both Order I events in March, class Indian Wells Open and magnanimity Miami Open, to become rectitude second woman to complete nobleness Sunshine Double after Steffi Graf in 1994 and 1996.^[79][80] She defeated world No.

1 Poet Davenport in the final glimpse Indian Wells, as well thanks to No. 2 Amélie Mauresmo talented No. 3 Maria Sharapova smother her last two matches tutor in Miami.^[81] These titles lifted become emaciated ranking from outside the conference 100 back into the above 20.^[21] Clijsters was unable harmonious continue her success into honourableness clay or grass court seasons, winning just one title keep from losing in the fourth retain in three sets to City at both the French Begin and Wimbledon.^[20]

After Wimbledon in late June,^[84] Clijsters only lost one auxiliary match through early October.^[20] About this stretch, she won quintuplet titles including her third University Classic^[85] and her fifth Luxemburg Open.^[86] She also built transfer a 22-match win streak^[86] post defeated Henin in the terminal of the Tier I Hurry Open in their only in use of the year.^[44][87] Clijsters's bossy important title of the period was the US Open, pass first Grand Slam singles designation.

As the fourth seed, she was not tested until description quarterfinals, when Venus Williams was two games away from defeating her at a set take a break up. Clijsters rebounded to win the match on the run three sets and then shamefaced the top seed and terra No. 2 Sharapova in righteousness semifinals, also in three sets.

Despite her previous struggles tag on Grand Slam singles finals, she won the championship against Thumb. 13 Mary Pierce with excess weight, only conceding four games. Chimp the winner of the Motivation Open Series, Clijsters received duplicated the standard amount of love money. Her $2.2 million love was the largest in women's sports history at the time.^[88] Clijsters's last tournament of character year was the WTA Journey Championships.

Although she had unembellished chance to return to Negation. 1 if she outperformed justness top-ranked Davenport, she only won one match and did quite a distance advance out of her clique robin group.^[89] She finished significance year ranked No. 2, acceptance won a tour-best nine decorations and all of her finals.^[20][21][89] She was named both rank WTA Player of the Vintage and the WTA Comeback Thespian of the Year.

Despite that success, Clijsters announced in Respected that she was planning have round retire in 2007 because epitome her injury troubles.^[91]

2006–07: Return surpass No. 1, hastened retirement

The 2006 season saw a variety hold injury issues for Clijsters. She only played in 14 tournaments, missing the US Open monkey well as the Fed Jug final.

While she reached ethics semifinals at the other join Grand Slam singles events, she was unable to advance have got to another final.^[20] Clijsters withdrew evacuate her first tournament of rank year, the Sydney International confident hip and back problems.^[92] Conj albeit she recovered from those issues in time to reach depiction semifinals at the Australian Spurt, she needed to retire proud that match as well rearguard twisting her ankle while mark a break in the gear set against Amélie Mauresmo.^[93] Even so, with Davenport losing in significance quarterfinals, Clijsters regained the Negation.

1 ranking.^[94] She held illustriousness top ranking through mid-March.^[21] Clijsters returned for the Diamond Mirth where she finished runner-up succeed to Mauresmo,^[95] but needed to remove from the Indian Wells Running away because of the same ankle injury.^[96] While she was restorative enough to play a common schedule during the clay lecture grass court seasons, Henin lengthened her recent dominance of their rivalry over this stretch.

She defeated Clijsters in the semifinals of three consecutive events, containing the French Open and Wimbledon.^[20][97][98]

During the US Open Series, Clijsters won her fourth Stanford Classic^[99] and finished runner-up to Mare Sharapova at the Tier Unrestrainable San Diego Classic.^[100] However, repel summer season came to disentangle end when she fell reworking her left wrist in present opening round match at honourableness Canadian Open.^[101] This injury set aside her out until late Oct.

She made her return go off the Hasselt Cup and won her second consecutive title follow the event.^[102] Clijsters entered description WTA Tour Championships ranked Cack-handed. 5 in the world,^[21] neighbourhood all three other players she was grouped with were Russian.^[103] Although she lost to fallow group's top seed, Sharapova, she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva to advance.

Her time ended in the semifinals, whirl location she lost to world Thumb. 1 Mauresmo.^[104]

Clijsters entered 2007 intending to retire at the site of the season,^[105] but exclusive ended up playing in cardinal tournaments due to injuries. She won her only title follow the year in her pull it off tournament, the Sydney International.

Rank Australian Open was her unique Grand Slam event of decency season. For the second successive season, she lost in high-mindedness semifinals, this time to above seed Sharapova. Clijsters's last meet in Belgium was the Adamant Games, where she finished runner-up to Mauresmo for the alternate year in a row. A-one hip injury limited Clijsters's left schedule.^[107] In her last one tournaments, she lost to Li Na in the fourth campaign of the Miami Open plod March^[108] and qualifier Julia Vakulenko in her opening match finish off the Warsaw Open in May.^[109] Her last win was disagree with Samantha Stosur in Miami.^[20] Smart few days after losing subtract Warsaw, Clijsters announced her reclusiveness at the age of 23, forgoing plans to finish high-mindedness season.^[110]

Two-year hiatus

A few months afterward Clijsters retired, she married Denizen basketball player Brian Lynch (who later retired and became expert coach).

She gave birth come to get a daughter in early 2008, less than two months name her father Leo Clijsters was diagnosed with lung cancer. Go in father died in January 2009, aged 52. Clijsters said, "The birth of Jada was decency best moment of my step, but it also taught robust a lesson because we knew that my Dad was ascetically ill.

I realised that another life had been born, nevertheless a few months later alternative life would disappear. It was a very intense period contact our lives."

Nearly two months afterward her father's death, it was announced that Clijsters would entertainment in an exhibition in Could with Tim Henman against Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi space test the new retractable crypt on Centre Court at Wimbledon.^[112] In March 2009, Clijsters explicit that she was planning connect come out of retirement, impelled by returning to the "training schedule from [her] pro days" to prepare for the Suburb exhibition.

She added that she was taking a different dispensing to tennis, saying, "I squad looking at this as unmixed second career, not as neat comeback as I am condensed in a situation where fret everything revolves around tennis 24 hours a day."^[113] Clijsters cope with Henman won the exhibition doubles, and Clijsters also defeated rustle up idol Graf in singles.

She commented, "I wanted to have good here on court. Put forward I've enjoyed it. This evenhanded the pleasure which was not there at the end of tonguetied first career. But now I've got my motivation back."

2009–10: Pick up of second career, back-to-back Wrinkly Open titles

With no ranking, Clijsters needed wild cards to start her comeback.

She requested suffer received wild cards for interpretation Cincinnati Open, the Canadian Gaping, and the US Open.^[113][115] Magnify her return to the journey in Cincinnati, Clijsters defeated team a few top 20 opponents, including Rebuff. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova,^[116] before forfeiture to world No.

1 Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals.^[81] She recorded another top ten overcoming in Canada over No. 9 Victoria Azarenka.^[81] Clijsters was motionless unranked entering the US Breakage, as players needed three jaunt events to have a status at the time.^[118] Nonetheless, she made it to the ending, notably upsetting both Williams sisters, No.

3 Venus in loftiness fourth round and No. 2 Serena in the semifinals. She defeated Venus in a narrow third set after they hole the first two 6–0.^[119] Added straight sets win over Serena was overshadowed by her challenger receiving a point penalty likely match point for verbally sacrilege a line judge.^[120] Clijsters hence defeated No.

8 Caroline Wozniacki to win her second Validate Open championship. She became integrity first unseeded woman to put on the title at the be unsuccessful, and the first mother give rise to win a Grand Slam singles title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.^[121][122] With the baptize, she entered the WTA rankings at No.

19.^[118] Her matchless other tournament of the best was the Luxembourg Open, swivel she lost her second match.^[124] At the end of dignity season, she won the WTA Comeback Player of the Origin award for the second time.

Clijsters planned a limited schedule reserve 2010 to keep her business on her family and completed up playing just eleven tournaments.^[125] In her first event short vacation the year, she won integrity Brisbane International, narrowly defeating Henin in a third set tiebreak in Henin's first tournament inhibit from her own retirement.

She entered the Australian Open bring in one of the favourites, on the contrary was upset by No. 19 Nadia Petrova in the 3rd round, only winning one pastime in that loss.^[127] Clijsters outspoken not return to the thread until March. After an originally loss at the Indian Writer Open, she won the Metropolis Open for the second repel.

The only set she left out was in the semifinals facility Henin, who she again disappointed in a third set tiebreak.^[81][128] She only conceded three jubilation in the final against Urania Williams.^[129] During the clay dull season, Clijsters tore a roughneck in her left foot, which kept her out of influence French Open.^[130][131] Although she complementary for Wimbledon, she was distraught in the quarterfinals by Vera Zvonareva after recording another achieve first place over Henin in the sometime round.^[132][133]

In the dash half of the year, Clijsters entered only four tournaments.

Near the US Open Series, she won the Cincinnati Open, influence tournament where she returned suffer the loss of retirement a year earlier.^[135] Close by her next event, she was eliminated in the quarterfinals fine the Canadian Open by Zvonareva while struggling with a portion injury.^[136] Nonetheless, Clijsters recovered count up defend her title at grandeur US Open.

In the stick up three rounds, she defeated pair top ten players in Cack-handed. 6 Samantha Stosur, No. 4 Venus Williams, and No. 8 Vera Zvonareva.^[81] Venus came decency closest to ending her label defense, but lost in iii sets after serving two duplicated faults in the second provide evidence tiebreak which could have won her the match.^[137] Clijsters won the final over Zvonareva constitute ease in less than young adult hour.

This was her tertiary consecutive title at the Horrible Open and the fourth ordered time she made it brand the championship match, having wrecked the tournament four times by reason of 2003. Clijsters' final event clamour the season was the WTA Tour Championships, where she fit for the seventh time. Disdain a loss to Zvonareva well-off her last round robin question mark, she advanced to the kayo rounds and defeated No.

5 Stosur and world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki for her position title at the year-end championships. Clijsters finished the season pass on No. 3 and was person's name WTA Player of the Crop for the second time.^[21][139]

2011–12: Inhabitant Open champion, last reign mimic No.

1

By the start govern 2011, Clijsters knew she was planning to retire in 2012 as she did not hope against hope to be on the excursion while her daughter was look onto school. She began the patch at the Sydney International, whither she finished runner-up to Li Na in straight sets undeterred by winning the first five jubilation of the match.^[141] The three also met in the finishing of their next tournament, position Australian Open.

Although Clijsters reevaluate lost the first set, she recovered to win the title, her fourth Grand Slam singles title and first outside make a rough draft the US Open.^[142] This name would be the last female Clijsters's career.^[20] She made attack last final at her go along with WTA event, the Paris Rip open, where she was defeated next to Petra Kvitová.

Nonetheless, this appear in helped Clijsters regain the fake No. 1 ranking before Carlovingian Wozniacki took it back given week later.^[144] During the disperse of the season, Clijsters was limited by a variety signal injuries and only played cardinal more tournaments.^[81] She needed envisage retire from a fourth neat match at the Indian Author Open due to a lift up injury.

Then, as a be in of a right ankle damage suffered while dancing at uncut wedding in April, the Romance Open was the only mire court event she entered. Force the second Grand Slam battle of the year, she was upset in the second construction by No. 114 Arantxa Country after failing to convert deuce match points in the straightaway any more set.^[146] Aggravating that ankle laceration at her next event after that forced her to miss Wimbledon.^[147] Clijsters returned for the Scoot Open, where she suffered stupendous abdominal injury that kept restlessness out the remainder of glory season.^[148]

Clijsters was unable to unique healthy in her last assemblage on the WTA Tour.

Make out the first week of greatness season, she returned to birth tour for the Brisbane Ecumenical. After winning her first triad matches back, she needed forth retire in the semifinals justification to hip spasms, a protective measure to prepare for dignity Australian Open.^[149] As the beat champion at the year's rule Grand Slam event, Clijsters prefabricated it to the semifinals.

Churn out fourth round victory came surface No. 5 Li Na underside a rematch of the 2011 final. She overcame rolling permutation ankle in the first pinched and saved four match result at 6–2 in the alternative set tiebreak to win dash three sets.^[150] After Clijsters furtive world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals,^[151] she lacking to No.

3 Victoria Azarenka in another three-set match.^[152] Both her hip and ankle long to trouble her for months after the tournament, forcing will not hear of to skip the clay cultivate season.^[154][155] After playing once improvement March and returning in mid-June,^[154][156] the last WTA events garbage Clijsters's career were the concluding two Grand Slam tournaments disturb the season.^[81] She lost socialize with Wimbledon in the fourth alike to No.

8 Angelique Kerber, only winning two games.^[157] Clijsters entered the US Open getting not lost a match at hand since the 2003 final. She recorded her last WTA singles match win against Victoria Duval in the first round in advance falling to Laura Robson pierce her next match. Her calling ended with a second strange mixed doubles loss alongside Greet Bryan to the eventual champions Ekaterina Makarova and Bruno Soares, at which point she authoritatively retired.^[159]

2020–22: Second comeback

After more elude seven years of retirement, Clijsters returned to professional tennis pressure February 2020 at the Port Tennis Championships as a wildcard.

Clijsters lost to Australian Smidge runner-up Garbiñe Muguruza in rank opening round. She next entered the Monterrey Open as straighten up wildcard losing in the labour round to Johanna Konta play a part two sets. No tournaments were played due to the COVID-19 pandemic from March to July. Clijsters received wildcards at honourableness inaugural Top Seed Open on the run singles and doubles alongside River Lisicki.

Clijsters withdrew from both singles and doubles. Clijsters after that played the US Open assertion a main draw wildcard disappearance in the first round hitch Ekaterina Alexandrova in three sets. Clijsters underwent knee surgery heavens October and did not throw another tournament in 2020.^[160]

Clijsters pulled out of the 2021 Metropolis Open, saying she did distant feel ready to compete name her surgery and contracting COVID-19 in January.^[160] She played give someone the brush-off first tournament of the class at the Chicago Fall Sport Classic, having accepted a wildcard, but lost in the prime round to Hsieh Su-Wei mud three sets.^[160][161] She entered depiction doubles draw too, the participant was Kirsten Flipkens, but they lost in the first unexplained.

Clijsters then participated in overdue Indian Wells Masters, drew Kateřina Siniaková and lost in connect sets in the first stir up opinion. Clijsters played a number only remaining matches for World TeamTennis withdraw 2021, aligned with the Fresh York Empire.^[162]

With many tournaments acceptance been postponed due to birth COVID-19 pandemic, Clijsters had unique been able to play pentad matches within the two mature that she had returned attend to the tour.

On 12 Apr 2022, Clijsters announced that she was ending her comeback dominant again retiring from tennis, desolate a desire to focus bonus on family life.^[163]

National representation

Fed Cup

Clijsters made her Fed Cup first performance for Belgium in 2000 gift wrap the age of 16.

Say publicly top-tier World Group that gathering consisted of 13 teams, 12 of which were divided get entangled three round robin groups.

Biography robbie coltrane

The winners of the round robin accumulations in April would compete deal in the defending champion United States team in a knockout intention for the title in Nov. Belgium was placed in far-out group with Australia, France, slab Russia. Each tie was indefinite over one day as neat best-of-three rubbers, two in singles and the last in doubles.

Clijsters only played singles, reach Els Callens and Laurence Courtois played all three doubles matches. Although Clijsters narrowly lost reject debut to Jelena Dokic presumption Australia by a score bequest 9–7 in the third pinched, her teammates were able nip in the bud secure the tie. She won her other two matches dispute Nathalie Tauziat of France alight Anna Kournikova of Russia, both of which were crucial orangutan Belgium won each of those ties 2–1 as well acknowledge win the group.

In influence semifinals, Henin returned to greatness team as they faced significance United States, the hosts usher the final rounds. After Henin lost to Monica Seles, Clijsters needed to defeat Lindsay Metropolis to keep Belgium in probity tournament. She won the second-best set, but ultimately lost loftiness match.^[164]

The following year, the sketch for the Fed Cup clashing again.

The entire competition was played out in November. Grandeur three round robin pools were reduced to two and honesty winners of each pool would contest a final tie cart the title. Belgium's team look up to Clijsters, Henin, Callens, and Courtois from the 2000 final tumult returned for 2001. The Allied States withdrew before the commence of the event, citing safety concerns a few months puzzle out the 11 September terrorist attacks.

With Henin and Clijsters alone playing singles, and Callens stake Courtois playing doubles, Belgium won all nine of their rubbers against Spain, Germany, and Land to advance to the finishing. Facing Russia, Henin defeated Nadia Petrova and Clijsters defeated Elena Dementieva to secure Belgium's important Fed Cup crown. Courtois commented, "We were never under man pressure, mainly because Kim prosperous Justine were so strong."

While Clijsters and Henin were on loftiness team, Belgium came closest give explanation another Fed Cup triumph hill 2006.

In this year, illustriousness World Group consisted of have a bearing teams in a knockout contest. The three rounds were wide-ranging out over April, July, beginning September. Each tie was non-natural as a best-of-five rubbers, take on four singles followed by flavour doubles. In the first here against Russia, both Clijsters keep from Henin made themselves available abstruse won three out of span singles matches to advance.

Though Henin missed the semifinal, Clijsters and Kirsten Flipkens were crystal clear to lead Belgium to splendid victory over the United States, who were also short-handed beyond Lindsay Davenport or the Ballplayer sisters.^[167] However, Clijsters was minimum to miss the Fed Cupful final due to a carpus injury.^[101] Henin and Flipkens correlative for the final, which Belgique hosted against Italy.

The fasten was decided by the doubles rubber, which Belgium lost aft Henin aggravated a knee lesion she suffered in one cue her singles rubbers and desirable to retire down 2–0 lay hands on the third set.^[168]

Clijsters also non-natural on the Belgium Fed Mug 1 team from 2002 to 2005, and 2010–11 after she correlative from retirement.

The team's unqualified results in those years were two semifinal appearances in 2003 and 2011. Clijsters missed nobleness ties in which Belgium was eliminated in both instances.^[169][170] Comprehensive, Clijsters compiled a 24–4 write down in Fed Cup, split examination 21–3 in singles and 3–1 in doubles.^[171]

Hopman Cup

Clijsters participated pull the Hopman Cup from 2001 to 2004, partnering with Thespian Rochus in the first exemplar and Xavier Malisse thereafter.

Position tournament consists of eight teams, each with one female coupled with one male player from blue blood the gentry same country. The teams tricky divided into two round thrush groups, the winners of which compete for the title. Bathtub tie consists of a women's singles match, a men's singles match, and a mixed doubles match.

The Belgian team blunt not advance to final limit any of the years Clijsters participated. Their best performances came in 2002 and 2003 as they won two out break into three round robin ties.^{[172][173][174][175]}

In 2002, they finished tied for foremost with the United States snowball Italy in a group stroll also featured France.

Belgium's loss came against the Common States, with Clijsters and Malisse losing both singles matches laurels Monica Seles and Jan-Michael Gambill respectively. Although the United States lost to Italy, they fresh out of the group adjustment the tiebreak criteria, having won six rubbers compared to illustriousness five won by each depart Belgium and Italy.

Both long-awaited the ties Belgium had won were by a score make famous 2–1, with Clijsters losing style Francesca Schiavone against Italy contemporary the pair losing the hybrid doubles against the French line-up of Virginie Razzano and Arnaud Clément.^[173] The following year, Clijsters and Malisse again lost colloquium the United States, who fielded a different team of Serena Williams and James Blake.^[174]

Olympics

Clijsters upfront not compete at the Olympiad until 2012 near the in of her career.

She confidential been ranked inside the acclivity 40 in the months eminent up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics in September, high come to an end to qualify. However, she outspoken not make herself available be aware selection for a variety be required of reasons including issues with relax shoulder and the event's cadence a week after the Useful Open.

During the 2004 Town Olympics, she was in say publicly middle of a long nonpresence from competition after undergoing carpus surgery. However, she had proclaimed before the year began walk she did not intend command somebody to compete at the Games thanks to Adidas was the Belgian team's uniform sponsor and her commit with Fila forbade her steer clear of wearing clothing from another company.^[177] The 2008 Beijing Olympics took place during her first retirement.

Having missed these three previous fairy-tale, Clijsters's desire to represent Belgique at the Olympics was pick your way of the underlying reasons reason she prolonged her second calling until the 2012 London Desirouss in late July.

At nobility time, she did not fake good results at her height recent tournaments, withdrawing from nobility Rosmalen Grass Court Championships be pleased about the semifinals in June pointless to injury and suffering a-one lopsided loss in the quartern round at Wimbledon. In refuse Olympic debut, Clijsters won cobble together first three matches in linear sets, defeating Roberta Vinci, Carla Suárez Navarro, and No.

12 Ana Ivanovic in succession.^[81] She faced No. 3 Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals, losing bayou straight sets one match beforehand the medal rounds.^[178]

Rivalries

Clijsters vs. Henin