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Kim Clijsters

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Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters at the 2011 Open GDF Suez
Kintra Belgium
ResidenceBree, Belgium
Born (1983-06-08) 8 Juin 1983 (age 41)
Bilzen, Belgium
Hicht1.74 m (5 ft 8 12 in)
Turned pro17 August 1997
Retired6 May 2007
Returned 11 August 2009
Seicont retirement 2 Sep. 2012
PlaysRicht-haundit (twa-haundit backhaund)
Prize moneyUS $24,442,340
(3rd in oweraw earnins)
Singles
Career record523–132
Career titles41 WTA (10t in oweraw rankings)
3 ITF
Heichest rankinNo. 1 (11 August 2003)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenW (2011)
French OpenF (2001, 2003)
WimbledonSF (2003, 2006)
US OpenW (2005, 2009, 2010)
Ither toornaments
Tour FinalsW (2002, 2003, 2010)
Olympic GemmesQF (2012)
Doubles
Career record131–56
Career titles11 WTA, 3 ITF
Heichest rankinNo. 1 (4 August 2003)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenQF (2003)
French OpenW (2003)
WimbledonW (2003)
US OpenQF (2002)
Mixed Doubles
Career titles0
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
WimbledonF (2000)
US Open2R (2012)
Last updatit on: 10 September 2012.

Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters[2] (Dutch pronunciation: [kɪm ˈklɛistərs] ( listen); born 8 Juin 1983) is a Belgian retired profeesional tennis player. She is a umwhile warld no. 1 in baith singles an doubles.

Clijsters haes wan 41 WTA singles titles an 11 WTA doubles titles. She haes wan fower Grand Slam singles titles: three at the US Open, in 2005, 2009, an 2010 an ane at the Australian Open in 2011. She haes been runner-up in fower Grand Slam singles tournaments, an wan the WTA Tour Championships singles title in 2002, 2003, an 2010 an aw. In doubles, she wan the French Open an Wimbledon titles in 2003. Clijsters annooncit her retirement wi immediate effect on 6 Mey 2007,[3] but amaist twa years later, on 26 Mairch 2009, she publicly declared her intent tae return tae the WTA tour for the 2009 simmer haurd court saison.[4] In anerlie her third tournament back, she wan her seicont US Open title, becomin the first unseedit player an wildcard tae win the tournament, an the first mither tae win a major syne Evonne Goolagong in 1980.[5] She retired again efter the 2012 US Open.

In Juin 2011, TIME magazine namit her ane o the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future".[6] Accordin tae Forbes in August 2011, she became the fift heichest-peyed female athlete ower the past year.[7]

Playin style

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Clijsters is recognisit for her deep, pouerful an well-placit grundstrokes. She can hit ootricht winners frae baith wings an frae ony pairt o the court. Her forehaund is ane o the best an maist pouerful the weemen's gemme haes iver seen, yet occasionally erratic an prone tae unforcit errors; her backhaund is mair reliable an consistent, an can be hit wi hivy slice as a defensive shot. Clijsters is an aw recognisit for her aw-court defence, characterisit bi speed an athleticism. Clijsters, alang wi Jelena Janković an Svetlana Kuznetsova, is amang the few tennis players on aither the Association of Tennis Professionals or Women's Tennis Association tours who can slide (or "straddle") on aw surfaces.[8] Maria Sharapova, interviewed efter luisin tae Clijsters in the 2005 Nasdaq-100 Open, said, "You just have to expect that she's going to get every ball back".[9] Her first serve, while no owerwhelmin, is placit well an earns aces an unreturnables. Clijsters tends tae rush atween first an seicont serves, which mey contribute tae her occasional matches wi heich nummers o dooble faults. A umwhile Warld No. 1 player in doubles, Clijsters haes exceptional volleys; she haes nae problem switchin frae baseline tae feenishin pynts at the net wi a volley or ower-heid. Her mental fragility wis considered her biggest weakness, an at the earlier stages o her career she wis considered a "choker", aften surrenderin big leads in the latter roonds o Grand Slams. Syne winnin the 2005 US Open, Clijsters haes gained mair control ower her nerves an syne her return tae the tour in 2009 she haes been kent, alang wi Serena Williams an Maria Sharapova, as amang the toughest players tae beat mentally. She is nou seen as capable o risin tae the occasion an playin her best tennis at the important stages o matches. Clijsters is considered tae be ane o the maist popular players on the tour an aw, kent for her grace on the court an even temper. She haes been votit the WTA Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award bi her fellae players seiven times an the WTA Player Service Award three times.

References

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  1. Hinds, Richard (24 Januar 2011). "Scottish Andy and Aussie Kim left to fly the flag". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 Januar 2011. Six years after her split from Lleyton Hewitt, and despite a subsequent marriage to an American basketballer, some still refer to Kim Clijsters as "Aussie Kim".
  2. "Kim Clijsters". espn.co.uk. Archived frae the original on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011. Cite has empty unkent parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. Sport.be Archived 2006-11-07 at the Wayback Machine, Kim's Diary-Thanks you, 6 May 2007
  4. Reuters.com, Clijsters announces return to tour, 26 March 2009
  5. "SportsIllustrated.cnn.com". Archived frae the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 9 Februar 2012.
  6. William Lee Adams (22 Juin 2011). "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future – Kim Clijsters". TIME. Archived frae the original on 8 Februar 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2011. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. Kurt Badenhausen (1 August 2011). "The 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes – No. 5 Kim Clijsters". Forbes. Retrieved 20 August 2011. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. Tennis.about.com Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine, Kim Clijsters – Game Profile
  9. "Comeback Queen Clijsters Triumph". BBC Sport. 2 Apryle 2005. Retrieved 19 October 2008.