[ad_1]
Kim Clijsters will return to tennis at the age of 36 with a return to the WTA Tour in 2020.
The former Belgian world number one retired in 2007 to start a family, two years after winning his first Grand Slam at the US Open.
She came back in 2009 and won two more titles at the US Open and the Australian Open before her second retirement in 2012.
"I do not really want to prove anything, I think for me it's the challenge," Clijsters said.
In the WTA Insider podcast, she added: "The love for the sport is of course always there, but the question is always whether I am able to bring it to a level where I would like it and where I want it before I play at a high level. of one of the best female sports in the world?
"I want to challenge myself and I want to be strong again, it's my marathon."
Clijsters is aiming for a return in January, but says she will remain flexible in her schedule.
As a former world number one, Clijsters is eligible for unlimited wildcards in WTA tournaments. She will have to play three tournaments or win 10 ranking points to restore a ranking.
She said that not having to play a number of tournaments a year has "made the choice a little easier."
"Kim Clijsters is a big football star and his return to the circuit is great news for the WTA family and tennis fans around the world," said WTA President Steve Simon.
Clijsters won 41 WTA titles and spent 20 weeks as world number one in his previous two episodes.
Her daughter Jada was born in 2008, followed by sons Jack in 2013 and Blake in 2016.
After her second retirement, she ran her tennis academy and worked as a commentator, notably for the BBC at Wimbledon.
She says she had been planning a return for two years.
"Even if I do not succeed, this whole process has been so worthwhile for me to get back into a good routine," she said.
"Let's see if I can put my body in shape to play tennis at a level where I would like it, what I think about where I would like to go, and see if it's possible. first of all, if my body is able to even do that. "
She added: "We can talk about the beginning of 2020 and see where we can get a wildcard, but if I feel in December that I'm not even close to where I want to be, then I'm not going to just go somewhere, I want to feel like where I want to be.
"I still have three and a half months left, so I think I will be able to make a lot more progress in the next few months and look forward to seeing where it will take me."
BBC Sport launched #ChangeTheGame this summer to introduce women athletes like never before. With more live female sports available at the BBC this summer, complemented by our journalism, we aim to increase the volume devoted to women's sport and change perceptions. Learn more here.
[ad_2]
Source link