Kim Clijsters says ‘good bye’ to tennis courts – Tennis News
Elegant Belgian veteran, Kim Clijsters, has said ‘good bye’ to the professional tennis after her second round loss at the US Open Championships on Wednesday. Although it was no surprise for the tennis fans, as all knew it would
be Clijsters’ last tournament on the WTA Tour, yet her retirement saddened a million hearts.
The 29-year-old Belgian had already announced that she would bid farewell to tennis, no matter what results she post the Grand Slam event at the Flushing Meadows. It was very disappointing to see such early exit for the Belgian,
as she couldn’t last even the second round brawl. She was stunned by the 18-year-old British underdog, Laura Robson, in two gruelling sets, 6-7(4), 6-7(5), to mark an end to her glorious career.
Winner of 41 WTA championship titles and four coveted Grand Slam events, Clijsters has been the heartthrob of countless tennis fanatics for years. Her earlier retirement made the entire tennis world glum but she made her comeback
a year ago to bag her first Australian Open title in 2011. She has been struggling from chronic shoulder injury ever since her comeback to the WTA Tour and eventually decided to quit playing tennis forever.
"This feels like the perfect place to retire, I just wish it wasn't today," Clijsters said in her on-court interview. "I gave it my all today and it just wasn't good enough at the end of the match. But I'm still in doubles and
mixed doubles. Since I came back it's been a great adventure for me, my team and my family, and it has all been worth it, but I'm excited for the next part of my life."
The US Open has been one of the favourite tournaments for the Belgian veteran, as she stood champion at the Flushing Meadows three times in her career. She was expected to repeat her heroics once again and retire from the professional
circuit as a Grand Slam champion but it went the other way round. Her hopes were crushed by an all-round brilliant performance from Robson and the Belgian fans received a double blow to see their legendary player for the last time on a tennis court.
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