Kim Clijsters put tennis fans in a frenzy by announcing her comeback in 2019. Fans were left disappointed when it was postponed due to injury issues. Clijsters promised her fans that 2020 would be the year she returned to the sport.
via Imago
Kim Clijsters
The four-time Grand Slam champion first retired from the sport in 2007 after two years of niggling injuries plagued her. In the two years post her retirement, Kim got married, gave birth to her daughter and lost her father to cancer. While training for an exhibition match on Centre Court at the All England Club, she rediscovered her love for tennis.
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Kim Clijsters to debut in Dubai
In 2009, Clijsters started her “second career” in tennis. A wildcard entrant into the 2009 US Open, Kim defeated top players like Venus Williams, defending champion Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki.
Clijsters became the first unseeded woman to win the trophy. She defended her US Open title in 2010. The 2011 Australian Open title would bring her tally to four before she retired for the second time in 2012.
And now, we are in 2020, looking forward to watching the Belgian come back in the sport for the third time. And now, her comeback is finally nigh.
The former World No. 1 announced that her first event after her return would be the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championship. She has accepted a wildcard entry into the event which begins on February 17.
I’m accepting a wild card to play the @DDFTennis. Since announcing my return, there have been a few bumps but looking forward to returning to the match court and what this next chapter brings … Thanks to all my fans for their encouragement these past weeks. See you in Dubai! pic.twitter.com/XOwIeEujyk
— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) February 9, 2020
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This will mark Clijsters’ debut in Dubai. She is just as excited as her fans with the prospect of returning to the court. This is what she had to say to the WTA website.
“I am really excited to be getting back to the match court. I know it’s a special anniversary for the Dubai Duty-Free Championships so it’s an honor to be making my return to the game and debut in Dubai at the same time. Can’t wait to return to the game I love and play in front of the fans again – the support and encouragement that I’ve received since the announcement has been overwhelming.”
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It sure is a wonderful time for tennis fans. Clijsters joins a list of top players in Dubai. The prospect of Kim facing names like Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova and many others sure is lip-smacking.
