London: Kim Clijsters was sick of the travelling, sick of being in the spotlight and especially sick of all the injuries ravaging her body when she quit tennis two years ago aged just 23.
Now the Belgian former world number one has been lured back on to the courts, unable to resist the temptation of testing her craft at the highest level again after immersing herself in domesticity for two years, getting married and having a baby.
"I have missed playing tournaments most. I am doing it for the challenge," Clijsters, announcing that she will make her comeback on the WTA Tour during the US hardcourt season in August, told reporters on Thursday at her home town of Bree.
"I have been training for 11 or 12 weeks. Training harder than ever before. Then this drive came back."
That 'drive' had appeared to be dead and buried in 2007 when Clijsters walked away, bucking the trend in an era when records, money or the cult of celebrity have driven many to prolong their careers long after they have passed their peak.
Not since Swedish great Bjorn Borg turned his back on the sport in 1982 aged just 26 had a top player quit tennis at such a young age. Just as Borg was worn down by his lack of privacy and loss of motivation, Clijsters yearned for a normal home life and got fed up with her constant battle against injuries.
"No more travelling. No more stepping in and out of planes. No more having to read gossip or lies in the papers," Clijsters, who broke off a relationship with former men's world number one Lleyton Hewitt in 2004, said at the time of her retirement.
She has rediscovered her hunger for top-level competition and, if the comebacks of fellow professionals Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati are anything to go by, she could enjoy a successful return.
Davenport remarkably came back just three months after giving birth to her first son in 2007 and won three of her first four tournaments on the WTA Tour.
"I have really enjoyed looking after (husband) Brian and (daughter) Jada in the past two years. Now I want to return, maybe it had something to do with seeing Davenport doing it as well," said Clijsters, adding she had consulted the American about her experience on the Tour with a baby.
STUMBLING BLOCK
As the daughter of former soccer international Leo Clijsters and top Belgian gymnast Els, Kim was born with competitive juices running through her veins.
It was therefore little surprise when she climbed to the top of her chosen sport in August 2003 but she had to wait more than two years before she achieved her most notable feat by lifting the 2005 US Open trophy -- her only grand slam title.
The Belgian could have won more majors but her compatriot Justine Henin proved to be a stumbling block in three of the other four finals she contested.
Although Henin will no longer stand in her way since she hung up her rackets last year, what may be more difficult for Clijsters to assess is exactly how her body holds up.
Since 2004, she spent more time on a physiotherapists' table than on court, recovering from ankle sprains, wrist surgery, hip problems and a number of other ailments.
At 25, she still has age on her side but her physical style of play -- she is one of the few professionals who slides on all surfaces -- could start taking a toll before long.
Clijsters said she was being more precautious this time round but refused to put a timeframe on exactly how long her second stab at success could last.
"I am really looking at (my) weak points to prevent injuries," she said. "The comeback could of course fail but as long as I work hard I won't blame myself for anything... it is too early to say whether I will be returning for one, two or three years."
Rivals happy, too
Meanwhile, the former world number one's (Kim Clijsters's) return to the WTA Tour later this year will be great for women's tennis, according to Serena Williams.
Serena Williams expressed happiness at the news of the tennis star's decision to make a comeback at the Cincinnati Open in August.
"It will be great for the game to have such a great sportswoman back," world number one Williams told Reuters.
"She is so nice, it will be good to have her around. She was so fit and she is young so I don't think she will have problems."
Clijsters was the 2005 US Open champion when she had decided to walk away.
During her absence the WTA has addressed some of the issues that pushed her into early retirement, including shortening the season and reducing the number of tournaments that top players have to compete in.
GREAT CHAMPION
The changes should help Clijsters to combine her tennis commitments with those of being a mother to 13-month-old Jada.
"I am delighted one of our great champions ... will be returning to professional tennis and the WTA Tour this year," WTA chief Larry Scott said in a statement.
"Kim was an extremely popular player both with the fans and other players and it will be great to see her competitive spirit come alive again on court."
World number three Jelena Jankovic said, "It's really cool. She is a great girl, a great champion and a great athlete. "It has to be good for us, the sport is all about great competition and personalities," added the Serb.
Comments
0 comment