Advertisement

How tennis' mothers club inspired Kim Clijsters comeback

Kim Clijsters has admitted that fellow tennis mums such as Serena Williams have helped fuel her desire to once again pit herself against the world’s best players.

Clijsters shocked the tennis world after revealing plans for a stunning comeback to the sport, following a seven-year absence from the WTA Tour.

The former No.1 and four-time major champion, who already is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, announced Thursday she is planning to return to the pro tour in 2020, although she's not yet ready to say exactly when or where or how often she will compete.

Clijsters is thus about to begin her third incarnation on the WTA Tour. She began the first as a teenage prodigy – almost the Coco Gauff of her day – as she reached the fourth round on her Wimbledon debut as a 16-year-old.

Four years later, she became world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, the first Belgian to achieve either honour.

This period was arguably the high-water mark for women’s tennis. Almost every player in the top 10 was a future Hall-of-Famer, including the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport and Clijsters’s compatriot Justine Henin.

It goes some way to explaining why Clijsters won only one grand slam – the 2005 US Open – before retiring in the summer of 2007, aged only 23, in order to start a family.

Kim Clijsters is a four-time grand slam singles champion.
Kim Clijsters holds one of her four majors aloft. Pic: Getty

After the birth of Jada in 2008, Clijsters made a triumphant first comeback as she won the 2009 US Open while still unranked.

Two more major titles followed before she retired again in 2012, with her final match being a second-round loss to Britain’s Laura Robson on that same Arthur Ashe Stadium.

She and husband Brian Lynch – a former basketball player and coach – had two more children together with sons Jack and Blake born in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

“I have girlfriends now who struggle to find ‘me time’, to live for their passion and still balance being a mum,” Clijsters said.

“I do feel that is something that [affects] me too.

“I’m 36 years old, I know in four years I’m not going to be able to do this challenge. I’ve always followed my instincts. I was very young when I retired to have my first daughter and came back. To do it now is a challenge for me.

"I’m not afraid of it. I want to see how far I can push myself and what level I can get to – and embrace all the positives and negatives along the way.”

The Belgian says watching fellow tennis mums such as 23-time grand slam champion Williams still competing for titles, fills her with confidence and inspiration.

“What she (Serena Williams) does is incredible," Clijsters said.

Kim Clijsters is hoping to take a leaf out of fellow tennis mum Serena Williams' book.
Clijsters has drawn inspiration from fellow tennis mums such as Serena Williams. Pic: Getty/AAP

"I’ve been on the sidelines, in the commentary booth, seeing her compete and fight at the highest level and I think it’s amazing.

"But I also admire the other women (with children) – Mandy Minella, Victoria Azarenka – who are trying to balance and get great results out there. I love seeing that there are so many mothers now in our sport.”

With 41 singles titles, Clijsters is beaten only in the trophy count by Serena Williams and Venus Williams among players active on tour, while her haul is the 14th highest in the Open era.

The 36-year-old says the desire to pit herself against the best players in the sport still burns strong.

"I have friends who would say, 'I want to run the New York Marathon before I turn 50'. For me, I still love to play tennis.

"The love for the sport is obviously still there. But the question still is, am I capable of bringing it to a level where I would like it to be at and where I want it to be at before I want to play at a high level of one of the best women's sports in the world?

"I don't feel like I need to prove anything, but I want to challenge myself and I want to be strong again. This is my marathon. This is where I'm saying, 'OK, let's try this'."

Clijsters is eligible for unlimited wild cards at WTA tournaments because of her former world No. 1 status, but she will have to play three tournaments or earn 10 points to re-establish a ranking.

With agencies