Clijsters Says Coaching Troubles Shouldn't Trouble Hewitt

How awkward that reporters are still asking Kim Clijsters to comment on Lleyton Hewitt!

From The Age: Coaching drama will not affect focus, says Clijsters

KIM Clijsters says that her former fiance Lleyton Hewitt has "good people around him" to help deal with his coaching situation, and, some 2½ years after their split, the Belgian believes that both she and Hewitt are better off for their parting...

Clijsters Still Says She'll Retire

From the AAP: Grand slams won't stop Kim

NOTHING will change homebody Kim Clijsters' decision to retire from tennis after season 2007, and that includes grand slam success.

Asked yesterday if a couple of wins in the big four tournaments would make her re-appraise her decision to quit the game at the age of 24, the world No. 5 gave an emphatic: "No."

She said injuries, a love of being at home and a fear of flying were all reasons she would not be reversing her decision...

Clijsters is Out of the US Open, Fed Cup

The Wrist, redux. Poor Kim.

Wacky Wednesday

The nightmare continues for the Rogers Cup. Montreal lost top seed Kim Clijsters in her opening match to a wrist inury; and seeds Nadia Pertova and Anastasia Myskina fell. Let's hope Kim's alright. Here are a round up, video highlights and interviews.

In Cincinnati, the biggest news, of course, was the fall of Federer. Lucky for James Blake, whose tame loss to a sharp Juan Carlos Ferrero would have been the Google News Headline instead. Same goes for David Nalbandian, who was the victim of his own poor play and Federer homie Stan Wawrinka. Fat Dave did not, however, get a code violation: Blake and Federer got one each for blasting balls.

In other news, Baghdatis def. Monfils in an entertaining 3-setter, a resurgent Robby Ginepri over red hot Dimitri Tursunov (the power of the blog manifesting itself yet again?), and Florent Serra took out young gun Novak Djokovic. Roddick, Nadal and Ljubicic are through.

Here are an audio wrap of the day, player interview transcripts, audio interviews, and a review of the highlights.

Order of Play for Montreal / Order of Play for Cincinnati

Montreal Draw / Cincinnati Draw

Players' Thoughts on On-Court Coaching

The reactions to on-court coaching in this article sort of sum up the going books on these stars' personalities:

Maria Sharapova: "It will be funny when you see an opponent calling for a coach because you’ll just want to laugh, they’ll be in trouble. ... I usually play on instinct and don’t like to be told what to do, so calling for someone will be very rare.”

Elena Dementieva: “I think it will be interesting to see the coaches come down and see what they say, but I don’t think I will have my mother come. I’m already with her 24/7 and it’s the only time I get a break from her.” That's my girl, Lena!

Serena Williams: “I don’t like it. I think it takes away from tennis. When I’m out there, I’ve done all the hard work. It takes away from the integrity of the sport."

Kim Clijsters: “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this but it’s a rule I’m absolutely against. Part of being a tennis player is being able to solve things yourself.” Of course you can say it, Kim!

Read 'WTA experiment stirs controversy'

Last Week's Wins

Pleased to say my picks were right on. Kim Clijsters easily over Patty Schnyder for her 4th Stanford title. She's undefeated in Stanford since 2002. (Does Kim's wild success on hard courts make her a hard court specialist? Hmmm.) Here's a nice wrap from the NY Times.

In LA, Tommy Haas in 3 sets over everyone's favorite ATP blogger Dmitri Tursunov for his 3rd title of the year. Here's a really good wrap from the LA Times.

Swiss Number 2 Stanislas Wawrinka over Novak Djokovic for his first ATP title in an astericked win at Umag--Novak had scary breathing problems--his father and a doctor ran out on court to check his pulse--and retired in the 1st set tiebreak. Here's a match review.

Argentine Agustin Calleri over countryman Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets (best of 5), for his 2nd ATP title; and in Budapest, veteran Anna Smashnova defended her title easily.

Justine v. Amelie: We're Getting a Rematch!

Like momofan, I'm bouncing off the walls re: Mauresmo finally making it through the semis. And how thrilling to have an Australian Open rematch (maybe the first of 2?) after all of the controversy with Justine's retirement. With two such complete players in the final, it should be a spectacular match. That is assuming, of course, that Mauresmo and Henin-Hardenne can both keep their stomachs together.

Mauresmo d. Sharapova 6-3 3-6 6-2
Amelie dominated Maria, and could have taken her out 6-1 in the second (she had Sharapova 0-40 to go up 2 breaks and choked on the breakpoints) if she had held her nerve. Of course, she didn't--but no matter. She came out steely after a bathroom break to go up 4-0 in the 3rd. Just gorgeous tennis for the most part from Amelie.

Here are a match report / Sharapova's interview / Mauresmo's interview.

Henin-Hardenne d. Clijsters 6-4 7-6(4)
Did anyone doubt this outcome? Didn't think so.

Here are a match report / Clijster's interview / Henin-Hardenne's interview.

ETA: Here's the NY Times on Amelie-Justine.

Wimbledon: Women's Semis

Mauresmo(1) v. Sharapova(4)
It'll be interesting to see how Amelie's agility, variety and old school net play match up with Sharapova's Power Shots. It'll be even more interesting to see how Mauresmo's nerves contend with Sharapova's Iron Will. I think it'll either be really close, or a steamroll by Maria.

Clijsters(2) v. Henin-Hardenne(3)
I really just can't see Clijsters pulling this one out after her dismal display at Roland Garros. Even if Kim does come out to play, I'd still say Justine, easily. Granted, I'd pick Justine if she and Kim met in a back alley knife fight, too.  Hell, I'd pick Justine in a back alley knife fight against most people. Yeah, she's hard to like, but the girl is tough.

Here's the BBC on the match ups and a couple of articles below.

The Women's Semis: Article Round Up

Mauresmo exudes air of calm as she awaits Sharapova showdown
Few players are as honest about their shortcomings as Amélie Mauresmo. After sealing a place in the last four of Wimbledon with a scrappy 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over Anastasia Myskina yesterday, she cheerfully admitted to being both nervous and impatient against the talented Russian. Read 'Mauresmo's calm'

Belgian show of fire and ice hits the lawns for first time
There are rivals who embrace with affection and others who put their arms round one another in the manner of Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty on the Reichenbach Falls before their grapple took them over the edge to their presumed deaths.

Somewhere in between come the Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters. Read 'Belgian Show'

Wimbledon Draws are Out!: The Women

Here's the women's draw. Venus landed at the bottom of Mauresmo's quarter of the draw and so did 14th seed Dinara Safina. Other trouble spots: a newly brunette Tatiana Golovin and Ana Ivanovic who's already beaten Amelie this year. Michaela Krajicek, who's still having a great week in Nottingham, is a potential 2nd round match up for Mauresmo.

Sharapova's section looks pretty straightforward until Dementieva in the quarters, though Schiavone, Sania Mirza, and Danilidou, who made the semis at the Ordina Open, could add some spice.

Hingis, Hantuchova, Jamea Jackson and Patty Schnyder are in Justine Henin-Hardenne's section of the draw. Will be interesting to see if Hingis can reach the massive roadblock that is Justine.

At the bottom of the draw, there are a few threats between #5 seed Kuznetsova and #2 seed Kim Clijsters: Vaidisova, Na Li and Kirilenko.

News: Petrova's pulled out with her lingering groin injury from the French.

Update on this Week's Tournies

Nottingham: Defending champ Richard Gasquet KO'd  countryman Gilles Simon in 3 and 1; Italian Andreas Seppi beat Andy Murray in 3; Robin Soderling, who has yet to drop a set, over Tipsarevic in 2,  and Bjorkman over Lopez.  I'm gonna go with Gasquet to repeat his win.

At the Ordina Open, Men's, it'll be defending champ Mario Ancic v. Marcos Baghdatis (making his first semi since Australia) and  Jan Hernych vs. Forent Serra (who took out JC Fererro in 3). The women: Elena Demetieva, Danilidou, Dinara Safina and Michaela Krajicek. I'm going with Ancic and Safina.

Eastbourne: It'll be  Henin-Hardenne vs. Clijsters and Kuznetsova v. Myskina. I'm going with Kuznetsova over Henin-Hardenne in the final.

Justine KO's Kim

Just 69 minutes, and  with fewer than 50% of her first serves in. Clijsters didn't come out to play today. Oh well. Looking ahead, Henin-Hardenne is 10-1 lifetime over Svetlana Kuznetsova. For some reason I still think Kuznetsova will win it.

Here's a match summary.

All-Belgian Brawl

Nice article running down the history between defending French Open Champion Justine Henin-Hardenne and world number 2 (soon to be number 1?) Kim Clijsters, along with some preview quotes from each of them about each other. Peter Bodo has the tabloid version ;-).

The Oracle of Bud Collins

Bud Collins' is going for Roger Federer to finally put all the puzzle pieces together over Rafael Nadal on Sunday and for Venus to make the finals, but lose to a Belgian.

Choice quote:

No storybook ending for Nadal
Nadal's bid to be the last man standing in Paris for the second year in a row is certainly a serious one, but I just don't see a repeat for the Spanish sensation.

I can’t see anyone in Nadal's half of the draw knocking him out en route to the final, but in my gut, I feel it will be Federer waiting for him on championship Sunday. And I see the Basel Dazzle putting an end to Nadal's lengthy and super impressive clay-court winning streak.

Read the Article

No Clear Favorite Among the Women

At Roland Garros, Women's Tennis Searches for a Leader

Almost halfway through 2006, women's tennis remains upsidedown.

So far this year, three different women have held the no. 1 ranking. Amelie Mauresmo, the current no.1,won her first major title in Australia after Justine Henin-Hardenne retired with what was officially scored as a "gastrointestinal illness." Nadia Petrova, who dumped her coach in Australia because he was not "tough" enough, is now ranked no. 3 and has the most wins on the tour in 2006. Maria Sharapova is the second-best Russian, while Serena Williams, the most talented woman in the world, is the 14th-best American, ranked a lowly no. 108. And Martina Hingis has returned from a three-year retirement and moved quickly into the top 15. Read On...

Laureus Loves Tennis: Roger, Rafa and Martina Win

It's been a big day for tennis on the world stage. The Laureus Sports Awards were held today in Barcelona and tennis was a big winner.

Roger Federer, Martina Hingis and Rafael Nadal took home awards: Federer won Sportman of the Year for the second year running; Hingis won Comeback of the Year over a field that included Kim Clijsters; and Nadal won Newcomer of the Year over surly Scot Andy Murray. Other nominees were the Croatian Davis Cup team for Team of the Year and Wheelchair Tennis star Esther Vergeer for Disabled Sportsperson of the Year. Clijsters was also nominated for Sportswoman of the Year.

Here's an article with more info.  Also, check out photos of Nadal, photos of Federer, and photos of co-host Boris Becker at the show from Getty Images.

ETA: Hmm, apparently quite a few tennis luminaries showed up. Here are photos of Ilie Nastase, photos of Monica Seles, Martina Navratilova, and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario .

Clijsters Wins Warsaw

From SportsTicker: Clijsters finally breaks through, wins first title of '06

Top-seeded Kim Clijsters defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 7-5, 6-2 Sunday to win the clay court J&S Cup.

The victory avenges a semifinal loss to Kuznetsova in last year's J&S Cup.

"She's a very, very good clay-court player," Clijsters said. "I was very aggressive and tried not to give her the opportunity to play her own game."...

Clijsters May Skip Fed Cup Semis vs. U.S.

In a new diary entry on her website, Kim Clijsters mentions the possibility of skipping Belgium's Fed Cup tie vs. the United States - unless it's played on hardcourts.  So now the U.S. knows how to get Clijsters off the Belgian team, but are they willing to play on clay or grass?

From Clijsters' website:

"I would love to be part of the team when we will play against the US, even though the date is a bit of a problem as it is right after Wimbledon and before Stanford. However, should we be playing on hard court, that Fed Cup tie would be an easy transition and a great preparation for the hard court summer."

Take That, Lleyton! - Clijsters Engaged to Lynch

Just kidding.  I'm sure Kim Clijsters 
has long since put her teenage
romance with Lleyton Hewitt behind
her.  And if we ever needed more
evidence of that, we got it this week
when she announced her engagement
to American basketball player Brian
Lynch on her website: "Brian and I are
engaged! we don't have a specific date for the marriage yet, but we'll think about it later this year. But most likely this should be somewhere next year."

Clijsters' 2007 Retirement

From ESPN: Clijsters prefers better mind to tennis grind

Great athletes don't know when to quit. That is their rep, and they have demonstrated over and over that they largely deserve it. So it's no surprise that much has been made of Kim Clijsters' declared intention to retire after next season, when she will be 24.

No matter what, whether or not she goes out atop the rankings, whether or not she ever adds another Grand Slam to her breakthrough 2005 U.S. Open win. The Belgian star has been quietly adamant about her timetable every time she's been asked, most recently Thursday in a conversation with reporters before the Nasdaq-100 tournament, where she was seeded second.

Clijsters Withdraws from Indian Wells

The dangers of sentiment.  Kim Clijsters wanted so desperately to play her home tournament, but now it ends up costing her a much more important one.  But perhaps she's comfortable with that tradeoff.

From Tennis Week: Defending Champion Clijsters Withdraws From Indian Wells

Kim Clijsters won't be defending her Indian Wells title. The World No. 1 has withdrawn from next month's Pacific Life Open after aggravating her right ankle injury reaching the Proximus Diamond Games final in Antwerp on Sunday. Clijsters, who fell to Amelie Mauresmo, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the Antwerp final, said she plans to take three weeks off to rest and recover.

"I reaggravated the right ankle that I injured in Australia this past week, and now require some time off to get back to 100 percent," Clijsters said. "The Pacific Life Open has always been one of my favorite tournaments, and I am very much looking forward to playing there next year."

Clijsters' Injury Healing Faster Than Expected

From Kim Clijsters' website:

I was pretty 'down' in the first days after the injury, but a new examination today gave me hope again for a quick recovery. I'll do anything to get fit again and secretly hope to still be able to play in Antwerp...

I've been to the doctor today and he examined my ankle thoroughly. The ultrasounds have been looked again. The scar tissue is progressing well and I'm more or less pain free. So, I'm kind of ahead of schedule. According to one of the doctors I shouldn't be too surprised at that as he has known football players start again with a similar injury and this only after three weeks.

Clijsters Thanks Fans With Champagne

From the AP: Clijsters to offer thousands of bottles of champagne to fans at Diamond Games

Kim Clijsters will offer every fan at her Diamond Games home tournament this month a bottle of Champagne to celebrate reaching the No. 1 ranking.

"Kim has taken the initiative to thank her fans," tournament organizer Bob Verbeeck said.

It could be a costly gesture for the Belgian, who won't play at the tournament because of the ankle injury that forced her to pull out of last week's Australian Open semifinals.

The Sports Palace in Antwerp can hold 10,000 fans and each bottle costs about ?25 (US$30) in stores. Her prize money so far this year, US$226,475 (?186,891), should just about cover the cost.

Clijsters Has Torn Ligaments, Will Miss at Least 8 Weeks

From The Age: Sore Clijsters out for eight weeks

KIM Clijsters intends to retire from tennis at the end of next year, and if injuries continue to bite at their current rate, the luckless Belgian may be lucky to last that long.

Clijsters will be sidelined for at least eight weeks after scans confirmed she had torn the ligaments in her right ankle, further souring what had been a physically challenging Australian campaign...

Clijsters Unknowingly Invites Former Drug Dealer to Open

Looks like Kim Clijsters' kindness got her in a little trouble this time.  Luckily the former drug dealer guy chose to make it clear that Clijsters knew absolutely nothing about his shady past.  Otherwise it could have been an annoying distraction.  And is there a player less likely to be hanging out with drug dealers than Kim Clijsters?

From the Herald Sun: Drug boss in Kim Clijsters' box

TENNIS ace Kim Clijsters has played unwitting Australian Open host to a man who once ran a huge heroin ring across Australia.

Clijsters invited Elie Malkoun to spend yesterday in her private seating area, unaware he spent more than a decade behind bars over a $5.5 million drug bust.

She took a shine to his four children Zak, 5, Hannah, 3, Allana, 2, and a yet-to-be-named newborn after meeting them at breakfast in a Melbourne hotel on Monday.

Mr Malkoun, 46, said yesterday the Belgian star, who yesterday won her quarter final against Martina Hingis, knew nothing of his background.

Schiavone Complains Clijsters Overstating Her Injuries

From The Age: Scepticism on hurt Clijsters

KIM Clijsters' vanquished opponent accused her of overstating the extent of her ailments yesterday, but having advanced to the quarter-finals, the Belgian reiterated that the injury clouds that almost kept her away from Melbourne are yet to dissipate.

Clijsters, whose injuries have prevented her from any practice on days off, endured her toughest encounter of the Open yesterday against feisty Italian Francesca Schiavone, who put her through an arduous test over almost two hours at Rod Laver Arena.

Schiavone was not the least bit daunted by an opponent from whom she had not stolen a single set in eight previous meetings, and after Clijsters, playing with heavy strapping on her left thigh, prevailed 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, the Italian said exactly what she thought of the second seed's well-documented injury concerns.

Clijsters Wins, Still Feeling Lousy

From The Advertiser: Clijsters fights on through the pain

A FRUSTRATED Kim Clijsters doesn't even know if the body will allow her to prolong this Australian Open title chase tomorrow.

Already consigned to treatment twice a day for a strained hip, the Belgian is now struggling with back pain.

The second seed sought a three-minutes injury time-out for physiotherapy on both ailments between sets before closing out Chinese qualifier Meng Yuan 6-4, 6-2 in the second round yesterday.

"As long as they don't get any worse, I'll fight until I'm done," Clijsters said before heading off for the second 60 minutes treatment of the day following the 82 minutes match on Rod Laver Arena.

Clijsters Wins Easily, But the Hip Isn't Good

From The Advertiser: Clijsters wounded as she shoots from the hip

AN ailing Kim Clijsters is worried that her injured left hip won't stand the strain for too much longer.

Clijsters revealed the self-doubts after a 6-3, 6-0 first-round win against Korean Yoon Jeong Cho masked the pain and uncertainty of her torrid Australian Open campaign. It's one thing to reel off a clutch of games in a row against an opponent ranked 59 places below her. But can she run, twist and turn in close combat against long-time foe Mary Pierce or hungry teenager Ana Ivanovic in a quarter-final early next week?

Right now, the second seed said she can afford to look beyond a second round tomorrow as she reluctantly endures stomach upsets caused by anti-inflammatory tablets in a bid to continue chasing a first Australian crown.

"I was very happy to get through today. I mean the next match will be tough, especially now," Clijsters said after her win.

"Hopefully, it (hip) can get better. Hopefully, I stay positive and things won't be too bad tomorrow. It wasn't physically tough today, that's the positive thing about today's match."

A Day Later, Clijsters' Chances Looking A Little Better

From The Herald Sun: Clijsters cleared of muscle tear

AUSTRALIAN Open favourite Kim Clijsters has been cleared of a muscle tear, but may not know until Sunday if she can take her place at Melbourne Park.

The world No. 2 had an MRI scan yesterday on her left hip but is no closer to a decision on playing the Open.

"(The scan has) shown I have an inflammation of the hip joint and tendon," Clijsters said. "The good news is that there is no tear of the muscle.

"In the next couple of days, I'm going to receive more treatment and do some stabilisation exercises.

"At that point, I'll have a better idea of my condition."

Clijsters May Miss Open With Hip Injury

Aargh! 

From the AP: Clijsters in doubt for Australian Open after injury pullout

World No. 2 Kim Clijsters is in doubt for the Australian Open after injuring her hip in a warmup at the Sydney International on Wednesday, forcing her to default her quarterfinal match.

Clijsters will have scans in Sydney on Thursday morning to determine the cause of her injury after complaining of an acute muscle pain in her left hip.

Clijsters, who won her first Grand Slam at the U.S. Open last September, said she had experienced some back problems since flying to Australia from Hong Kong last weekend.

"It's terrible," said Clijsters. "My back has been bothering me the last few days, so I don't know if that had something to do with it - maybe compensating for my back, maybe pushing. I don't know."

The injury occurred with Clijsters' first serve during a warmup for her match against Italian Francesca Schiavone.

Clijsters Back in Australia

The Australian press has clearly decided that, even without Lleyton Hewitt, they still like Kim Clijsters.  (In fact, given a choice, how  much do you bet they'd be willing to make a trade?)

From The Age: No Kim on a whim

KIM Clijsters doesn't change her mind easily. Life decisions are given considerable thought, but once the verdict is reached, there are no appeals, or hung juries in her head.

"When I decide something, when I think about things — you know, like serious things — I (really) think about them," Clijsters said yesterday, explaining that her mind, once set on a particular course, was not prone to waver.

Fateful forks in the road were reached in 2004, when Clijsters was at her professional and personal nadir. Then ridiculed for being the grand slam bridesmaid, she made the tough call to leave Lleyton Hewitt, if not at the altar, then with the wedding reception booked.

Then last year, as her wrist healed and her career soared to its highest point, she made a decision that still seems extraordinary: That, at the end of 2007, regardless of her circumstances, she would retire from tennis and pursue what she refers to as "a normal life."

"Even the retirement thing, that's not something I thought of yesterday," Clijsters told The Age.

Clijsters Says She Needs to Play Herself into Shape

Some excerpts from a new diary entry on Kim Clijsters' website:

I left for Hong Kong this morning and to be honest: leaving Brian, the family and the dogs after the festive season is not that easy.

My cousin Tim is joining me again, as is Caroline Maes as my sparring partner. I still have to train hard to be back in shape. In the end, I only trained two hours for four days. All the parties en awards, the press around it and so on did interfere a lot. On the other hand, I really needed the break after such a long and tiring year. I wasn't allowed to do much for more than a week because of my wisdom teeth being removed anyway.

Clijsters Still Planning Her Retirement

From the AP: Clijsters pondering retirement after 2007

World No. 2 women's player Kim Clijsters is still considering retirement after the 2007 season, saying Wednesday the demands of keeping in top condition are getting harder.

Clijsters, who raised the possible 2007 retirement date last year, said she has not reconsidered her plans, despite her breakthrough in 2005 when she won a women's tour-high nine tournaments, including her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

"All the amount of time and the exercise, and the effort I have to put into being able to feel like I'm feeling at the moment and to not have injuries, it's getting more and more," the 22-year-old Belgian said on the sidelines of the Champions Challenge exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, adding that traveling was also taking a toll.

Clijsters Aiming for #1 Next Year (And Gets Wisdom Teeth Pulled)

A new diary entry on Kim Clijsters' website.  Some excerpts:

This morning I was at the hospital in Genk to have two wisdom teeth removed. Under local anaesthetics as I had to stay the whole day otherwise. Brian and Caroline Maes were really supportive. Right now I'm home and I can't say much. And the next few days, I probably can't say much either. It will only be better next week, when the little stitches are removed.

In the middle of next week, I'll resume my training. Some basic condition training and some light tennis practice. After that, I'll start building up towards the Australian Open, a.o. via the tournament of Hong Kong. Should I perform well at the Australian Open I might begin the Proximus Diamond Games beginnen as the world's number one, that would be great!

Clijsters Not Worried About No. 1

Kim Clijsters has a new diary entry on her site in which she says that, while she's  looking forward to competing in Los Angeles, ending the year at #1 if not a focus for her:

Of course I am hoping to win the Masters for the third time, but it is not that easy. The competition is fierce. In the end, the eight players in LA are the best in the world. Compared to the American players I'll be feeling the consquences of that long journey. Everybody who has done a similar one, knows that two days is very little time to actually digest a jet lag, but my 05 season has already been a major success. I won nine title, including a Grand Slam.

The quest for the number one spot seems to intrigue other people more than myself. Otherwise I would have played in Zurich, Moskou or Linz, with the 250 extra points I would have been able to win there, that top position would have been a fact already.

Clijsters Wins Hasselt

From the AP: Clijsters wins in home country

Kim Clijsters won before a home crowd for her ninth title this year, defeating Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-3 Sunday in the Gaz de France Stars final.

The top-seeded Clijsters, who missed much of last season because of a wrist injury, did not lose a set all week. In beating her third-seeded opponent, she won her 30th career title.

Clijsters, the U.S. Open champion, lost her opening serve but recovered quickly and was never troubled again.

Clijsters Plans 2006 Schedule

A new diary entry on Kim Clijsters' site in which she reveals her plans for next season.  She'll finally make her return to Australia and will try to minimize her clay court season to protect her wrist:

I just submitted at the WTA my schedule for the first half of next season...

I will start my new season at an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong on the 3rd of January. So I can still spend the festive season at home! Hong Kong also is en route to Australia, so I can already largely adapt to the jet lag. It's an easy start, although some top players will be there like the Williams sisters and Davenport.

Clijsters Back on the Practice Court

Kim Clijsters reports on her website that she is practicing again after being forced to rest her achilles tendon for a bit and is looking forward to the upcoming tournament in Hasselt:

Yesterday, after a last check up of the achilles tendon that still slightly hinders me, I started practicing again. Coming to terms with complete rest is difficult for me as well as I really need to get going again after a week of inactivity...

I'm pretty eager to perform well in Hasselt. Last year the tournament ended badly for me with my wrist injury, but now I hope to be able to give the Belgian audience what it wants. I also want to find the right rhytm for the last goal of this year: the Masters.

Clijsters Responds to Fed Cup Flap

Kim Clijsters has a new diary entry on her site.  In it she addresses the controversy that arose when Justine Henin-Hardenne's coach Carlos Rodriguez tried to defend his charge's decision not to play Fed Cup in 2006 and in the process tossed off several backhanded insults of Clijsters.

Wisely, Clijsters has basically decided not to respond:

"Apparently a lot has been said in the Fed Cup team again and a lot of people have been responding to reactions of others. I would like to stress again that I do not, I repeat, go into any of these insinuations. I'd rather have it we all live happily together, even though at times the sun might shine a bit harder for some and less for others."

Clijsters Doing Just Fine

A nice article on Kim Clijsters in The Times: Giant leap in rankings just one small step for Clijsters (registration required)

Two images of her are vivid. There is one with her left wrist heavily bandaged, held against her cheek as she watched Lleyton Hewitt, her former beau, compete at Wimbledon in 2004; the second is of a racket on the ground in front of her, hands clasping the sides of her face at the moment of her triumph in New York a month ago. In 16 months, from flat out to upside down and back again...

Clijsters Injury Worries

Kim Clijsters checks in with another diary entry on her official site and just as everyone is conceding the year-end #1 position to her she reports some minor injury concerns:

I have had a medical examination of my Achilles tendon in Belgium before I left and apparently there is some irritation, so as soon as I finish this tournament I'll be having some severe resting and daily physiotherapy. I'll have to avoid by all means that this becomes a temporary thing. And certainly wouldn't want to endanger my participation of the tournament in Hasselt .

I'm assuming the site meant to say "permanent" instead of "temporary".

And she reacts the Justine Henin-Hardenne's announcement that she won't participate in Fed Cup 2006 not altogether sympathetically: 

Clijsters Talks about Retirement

I'm okay with the idea of Kim Clijsters announcing her retirement in two years, but if she's going to have to talk about it until then it could become a distraction. 

From The Australian: Clijsters wants 'normal body'

"You know I've never said that tennis is the most important thing in my life. You know I think here's a lot of other things too. That's something I'm really looking forward to.

"I'm enjoying the time I'll be able to play. I'm really looking forward to the championships and also going to Australia again and playing there. But I just think physically it's a lot more demanding.

"With the matches I've played over the last few months, I feel that physically they are getting a lot tougher and I feel it on my body. I'm not recovering as quickly as I did when I was an 18 or 19 years old.

"Maybe that sounds hard to believe, but I don't have the body of a normal 22-year-old. You know I have a lot of cartilage problems and just little things - and that is something you have to think about and consider."

Clijsters Will Go Coachless

No coach for Kim Clijsters - ever.

From the AP: Clijsters to go without coach for her last two years on tour

Kim Clijsters has decided not to replace her coach, who quit after she won the U.S. Open earlier this month, and said she will finish the last two years of her career without one.

"I want to play my remaining two years, until the end of 2007, without a coach. I don't need one any more," said the 22-year old in newspaper interviews published Wednesday.

One of the rumors surrounding her split with previous coach Marc De Hous was that he was feeling unappreciated, more like someone to carry her bags than like a coach whose advice and guidance she took.  Maybe there was something to that. 

Clijsters Back in Action in Luxembourg

Kim Clijsters returns to action for the first time since her U.S. Open championship at the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg and did her first press conference.  She's excited to play in the "cozy" atmosphere of the Luxembourg tournament although she wishes she'd had more time at home in Belgium, she's still planning to retire at the end of next year, and she showed up with a German sparring partner instead of a coach and has no immediate plans to hire one. 

From Eurosport: Clijsters aims for Luxembourg

Clijsters' Celebration Party

It looks like Kim Clijsters had a good time at her party in Bree last night.  Here are the photos from BelgaPicture.

And Kim's website has some details:

The celebrations for Kim in her hometown Bree has turned into a big party where about 5000 attended.

Clearly a lot of people responded to Clijsters' call to her fellow citizens to join her party at the Vrijthof in Bree as at least 5000 partygoers accepted the invitation and came along to celebrate Kim's victory at the US Open.

Around 8pm the Vrijthof already had transformed into a large open air pub. On top of that, Kim was also offering free beer in nearly fourty pubs in and around Bree. In a short speech she thanked her fans and repeated the statement of actually quitting professional tennis in 2007.

Afterwards, Kim climbed onto the stage again, this time to sing together with her boyfriend Brian, among the songs one by Frans Bauer .

Kim Clijsters and Retirement

Interesting state of mind for Kim Clijsters as she enters the U.S. Open as the favorite.  She's talking retirement (although not until 2007).  From Fox Sports Australia: Kim quitting in two years

"I think I'm going to give myself 200 per cent for the next two more seasons after this," she said...

"When I was younger, I used to have some little aches and pains but they always disappeared. Now, I feel like everything takes a lot longer to heal - and I'm still only 22."

"I'm looking forward for the next two years and then I'll look forward to the next part, my life after my career."