Advertisement
Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » Sports » Tennis » Reuters > Report
  Advertisement
Get news updates:What's this?
   
  Advertisement
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
  Discuss  |    Share with friends  |    Print
  Ask a question  |    Get latest news on your desktop

Clijsters to retire at end of 2007
August 26, 2005 16:53 IST
Former world number one Kim Clijsters [Images] was quoted on Friday as saying she plans to retire from professional tennis at the end of 2007.

"I think I will stop at the end of 2007. My body is already giving me a lot of problems," the 22-year-old Belgian said.

Kim Clijsters"Maybe I will still play the (Antwerp) Diamond Games in 2008, as a goodbye tournament, but that will be it," she told Het Laatste Nieuws daily.

Clijsters has suffered from a series of injuries since 2003 when she became the first women's player since 1974 to play more than 100 singles matches in a season.

She returned from a career-threatening left wrist injury in February and has also suffered a knee injury this year. Despite these setbacks she has won six titles in 2005 including in Toronto last weekend.

Clijsters is seeded fourth at the final grand slam tournament of the year, the U.S. Open, which starts on Monday.

"I like to win and I put in a lot to do that but the quality of life in and outside tennis are at least as important," she said. Clijsters broke up with her long-time Australian boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt [Images] in October.

Strong and solidly built, Clijsters won nine singles titles and seven doubles finals in 2003, becoming the first Belgian to reach number one in August despite never winning one of the four grand slam tournaments.

In early 2004 she lost her fourth grand slam final at the Australian Open [Images] where she was troubled by an ankle injury. In June she had an operation on her wrist and missed the rest of the 2004 season.

After thrashing her compatriot and great rival Justine Henin-Hardenne in the Toronto final last weekend, Clijsters said her Achilles tendon was giving her problems.

"It might sound odd but it's all becoming tougher on me - the tournaments, the travelling. I can't see myself playing for more than two or three years," she said on her Web site.



© Copyright 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
  Discuss  |    Share with friends  |    Print  |    Ask a question  |    Get latest news on your desktop

© 2009 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback