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Kim Clijsters International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA
IPA|/kɪm klɛistərs/ Audio|Nl-be kim
clijsters.ogg|listen , (born on June 8, 1983,
Bilzen, Belgium) is a former World No. 1 tennis
player from Belgium. That number one spot on the
WTA singles rankings, she achieved on 11 august,
2003 but subsequently lost it to fellow Belgian
Justine Henin-Hardenne.

==Tennis career==
Clijsters was an accomplished junior player. In
1998, she was the runner-up in the Wimbledon
championships|Wimbledon junior singles event. She
also won the French Open junior doubles event with
Jelena Dokic and the US Open junior doubles event
with Eva Dyrberg, and finished the year ranked
number 11 in singles and number 4 in doubles in
the ITF junior world rankings.

In 1999, Clijsters made the breakthrough into the
senior ranks of women's tennis. At Wimbledon, she
played through the qualifying rounds to make the
main draw and beat Amanda Coetzer en route to the
fourth round, where she lost to her childhood idol
Steffi Graf. Later that summer, Clijsters reached
the third round of the US Open, where at one stage
she served for the match against, but ultimately
lost to, the eventual champion Serena Williams. In
the autumn of 1999, Clijsters won her first WTA
singles title at Luxembourg, and then her first
WTA doubles title at Bratislava, partnering with
Laurence Courtois.

She climbed her way up the rankings over the next
couple of years. She reached her first Grand Slam
final at the 2001 French Open, where she lost an
extremely close match to Jennifer Capriati by a
score of 12-10 in the final set. Her next
important breakthrough came at the end of 2002,
when she won the year-end WTA Tour Championships
in Los Angeles, scoring a huge win in the final
over the world number one at the time, Serena
Williams.

Clijsters had the most successful year of her
career so far in 2003. She won nine tournaments
that year, including the WTA championships,
reached two Grand Slam finals at the French Open
and the US Open, losing on both occasions to her
compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne, and was ranked
number one in the world for several weeks,
although she eventually finished the season at
number two behind Henin-Hardenne.

Clijsters started 2004 by reaching her fourth
Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, where she
lost again to Henin-Hardenne; and then went on a
very successful run where she won two titles at
the Paris and Antwerp. Unfortunately, Clijsters
then began to have injury problems with her wrist,
which eventually required surgery and forced her
to withdraw from the rest of the 2004 Grand Slam
tournaments. 

In February 2005, after almost a year of
inactivity caused by injuries, she made her return
to the WTA tour by participating in her home
country tournament at Antwerp. She then completed
a stunning comeback to the top echelon of tennis
when she won, as an unseeded player, 14 straight
matches against world's top players to claim two
Tier I titles (Indian Wells and Miami) in March,
2005.

Clijsters has won 27 singles titles in her career
so far. Two of those came at the prestigious
year-ending WTA Tour Championships, affirming the
fact that although she has not yet won a Grand
Slam event, she is quite capable of winning a
tournament featuring only the top eight women
players in the world.

==Retirement?==

Recently, Clijsters has given indications that she
will retire from tennis soon. "I think I will stop
at the end of 2007. My body is already giving me a
lot of problems," Clijsters said. Clijsters has
had a career marred by several injuries including
a career-threatening wrist injury.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=reu-clijster
s&prov=reuters&type=lgns

==Records==
2004
*She became the second woman to reach at least the
semifinals of all the tournaments she entered
(except for her second round defeat in Toronto).
Only Monica Seles duplicated that feat.
*When she became world number one in August she
not only became the first Belgian - man or woman -
to accomplish that feat, she also became the first
world number one without a Grand Slam victory (a
feat later duplicated by Frenchwoman Amelie
Mauresmo) and one of the few women to be both
world number one in singles and doubles. 

2005
*By winning in Indian Wells in 2005, she became
the lowest ranked (No. 133) player ever to win a
Tier-I event. In the final she beat American
Lindsay Davenport in three sets: 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
This was Clijsters' second tournament after almost
a year of inactivity. En route to victory she also
defeated world no. 4 Elena Dementieva in the
semifinals.

*In Miami she became only the second player since
Steffi Graf (1994-1996) in history to win the
Indian Wells-Miami double. En route to victory she
beat world no. 5 Dementieva in the quaterfinals,
no. 2 Mauresmo in the semifinals, and world no. 3
Sharapova in the final.

==Trademark Move==

Kim Clijsters is applauded for being one of the
most tenacious players on the WTA Tour. While she
plays aggressively, she also has splendid
defensive techniques, owing to her fitness. Upon
defeating Maria Sharapova, Sharapova commented
that Clijsters always forces her to "hit that
extra shot." One of her trademark movements on the
court that makes a Clijsters match so enjoyable to
watch are her split squash shots. She hacks
downward on the racket with an open face, creating
a vicious underspin which neutralizes a ball. She
owns this technique by doing a split on the courts
as she executes this superb defensive tactic.

==Family life==

She is the daughter of a succesful soccer player,
Lei Clijsters and a Belgian gymnastics champion,
Els Vandecaetsbeek.

She announced her engagement to long-time partner
Australian player Lleyton Hewitt in November 2003,
but they split up in October 2004.

She also has a younger sister named Elke, who like
her sister was an accomplished junior player, and
who finished 2002 as the ITF World Junior Doubles
champion, but back injuries forced Elke to retire
from her professional tennis career in 2004.

Recently, Clijsters has given indications that she
will retire from tennis soon. "I think I will stop
at the end of 2007. My body is already giving me a
lot of problems," Clijsters said. Clijsters has
had a career marred by several injuries including
a career-threatening wrist injury.

==Grand Slam achievements==

* French Open final - 2001 -- lost to Jennifer
Capriati
* French Open final - 2003 -- lost to Justine
Henin-Hardenne
* U.S. Open (tennis)|US Open final - 2003 -- lost
to Justine Henin-Hardenne
* Australian Open final - 2004 -- lost to Justine
Henin-Hardenne

==Titles (38)==
{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1"
style="border: #cccccc solid 1px; border-collapse:
collapse;"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee" 
|Legend (Singles)
|- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" 
| Grand Slam (0)
|- bgcolor="#ffffcc" 
| WTA Championships (2)
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| Tier I Event (5)
|- bgcolor="#ffffff" 
| WTA Tour (19)
|}

===Singles (27)===
{| bgcolor="#f7f8ff" cellpadding="3"
cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%;
border: #cccccc solid 1px; border-collapse:
collapse;"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|No.
|Date
|Tournament
|Surface
|Opponent in the final
|Score
|-
| 1.
| Sep 20, 1999                   
| Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| Hard
| Dominique Monami (Belgium)         
| 6-2 6-2
|-
| 2.
| Jan 10, 2000
| Hobart, Australia
| Hard
| Chanda Rubin (United States|USA)
| 2-6 6-2 6-2
|-
| 3.
| Oct 30, 2000                             
| Leipzig, Germany
| Carpet 
| Elena Likhovtseva (Russia)
| 7-6 4-6 6-4 
|-
| 4.
| Jul 23, 2001
| Stanford, California, USA 
| Hard 
| Lindsay Davenport (United States|USA)
| 6-4 6-7 6-1
|-
| 5.
| Sep 24, 2001
| Leipzig, Germany
| Carpet 
| Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria)
| 6-1 6-1
|-
| 6.
| Oct 22, 2001
| Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| Hard 
| Lisa Raymond (United States|USA)
| 6-2 6-2 
|-
| 7.
| Apr 29, 2002
| Hamburg, Germany
| Clay 
| Venus Williams (United States|USA)
| 1-6 6-3 6-4
|-
| 8.
| Oct 7, 2002
| Stuttgart|Filderstadt, Germany
| Hard 
| Daniela Hantuchová (Slovakia)
| 4-6 6-3 6-4
|-
| 9.
| Oct 21, 2002
| Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| Hard 
| Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria)
| 6-1 6-2
|- bgcolor="ffffcc"
| 10.
| Nov 4, 2002
| WTA Tour Championships|WTA Championships, Los
Angeles, USA
| Hard
| Serena Williams (United States|USA)
| 7-5 6-3
|-
| 11.
| Jan 6, 2003
| Sydney, Australia 
| Hard
| Lindsay Davenport (United States|USA)
| 6-4 6-3
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| 12.
| Mar 3, 2003
| Indian Wells, USA
| Hard
| Lindsay Davenport (United States|USA)
| 6-4 7-5
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| 13.
| May 12, 2003
| Rome, Italy
| Clay
| Amelie Mauresmo (France)
| 3-6 7-6 6-0
|-
| 14.
| Jun 16, 2003  
| 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
| Grass
| Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
| 6-7 3-0 Ret
|-
| 15.
| Jul 21, 2003
| Stanford, USA
| Hard
| Jennifer Capriati (United States|USA)
| 4-6 6-4 6-2
|-
| 16.
| Aug 4, 2003
| Los Angeles, USA
| Hard
| Lindsay Davenport (United States|USA)
| 6-1 3-6 6-1
|-
| 17.
| Oct 6, 2003           
| Stuttgart|Filderstadt, Germany
| Hard 
| Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
| 5-7 6-4 6-2
|-
| 18.
| Oct 20, 2003
| Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| Hard 
| Chanda Rubin (United States|USA)
| 6-2 7-5
|- bgcolor="ffffcc"
| 19.
| Nov 3, 2003 
| WTA Tour Championships|WTA Championships, Los
Angeles, USA
| Hard
| Amelie Mauresmo (France)
| 6-2 6-0
|-
| 20.
| Feb 9, 2004
| Paris, France
| Hard
| Mary Pierce (France)
| 6-2 6-1
|-
| 21.
| Feb 16, 2004
| Antwerp, Belgium
| Carpet
| Silvia Farina Elia (Italy)
| 6-3 6-0
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| 22.
| Mar 7, 2005 
| Indian Wells, USA
| Hard
| Lindsay Davenport (United States|USA)
| 6-4 4-6 6-2
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| 23.
| Mar 23, 2005
| Miami, USA
| Hard
| Maria Sharapova (Russia)
| 6-3 7-5
|- 
| 24.
| Jun 13, 2005
| Eastbourne, England
| Grass
| Vera Douchevina (Russia)
| 7-5 6-0
|-
| 25.
| August 1, 2005
| Stanford , USA
| Hard
| Venus Williams (United States|USA)
| 7-5 6-2
|-
| 26.
| August 8, 2005
| Los Angeles , USA
| Hard
| Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia)
| 6-4 6-1
|- bgcolor="#dfe2e9"
| 27.
| Aug 15, 2005 
| Toronto, Canada
| Hard
| Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
| 7-5 6-1
|}

===Singles Finalist (14)===
{| width=100%
| valign=top width=33% align=left |
*1999: Bratislava (lost to Amelie Mauresmo)
*2000: Filderstadt (lost to Martina Hingis)
*2001: Indian Wells (lost to Serena Williams)
*2001: French Open (lost to Jennifer Capriati)
*2001: 's-Hertogenbosch (lost to Justine
Henin-Hardenne)
*2002: Stanford (lost to Venus Williams) 
*2002: Tokyo (lost to Serena Williams)
*2003: Antwerp (lost to Venus Williams)
*2003: Scottsdale (lost to Ai Sugiyama)
*2003: Berlin (lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
| valign=top width=33% align=left |
*2003: French Open(lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
*2003: San Diego (lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
*2003: U.S. Open (lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
*2004: Australian Open (lost to Justine
Henin-Hardenne)
|}

===Performance Timeline===
{| bgcolor="#f7f8ff" cellpadding="3"
cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%;
border: gray solid 1px; border-collapse:
collapse;"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Tournament !! 2005 !! 2004 !! 2003 !! 2002 !!
2001 !! 2000 !! 1999 !! Career
|-
|Australian Open
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|F
|align="center"|SF
|align="center"|SF
|align="center"|4r
|align="center"|1r
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|0

|-
|French Open|Roland Garros
|align="center"|4r
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|F
|align="center"|3r
|align="center"|F
|align="center"|1r
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|0

|-
|Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon
|align="center"|4r
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|SF
|align="center"|2r
|align="center"|QF
|align="center"|2r
|align="center"|4r
|align="center"|0

|-
|US Open
|align="center"|
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|F
|align="center"|4r
|align="center"|QF
|align="center"|2r
|align="center"|3r
|align="center"|0

|-
|WTA Tour Championships
|align="center"|
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|W
|align="center"|W
|align="center"|SF
|align="center"|QF
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|2

|- 
|Finals reached
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|15
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|40

|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|Tournaments Won 
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|9
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|26

|- 
|Hardcourt Win-Loss
|align="center"|29-2
|align="center"|17-2
|align="center"|62-8
|align="center"|33-11
|align="center"|28-11
|align="center"|17-9
|align="center"|6-2
|align="center"|192-45

|- 
|Clay Win-Loss
|align="center"|8-3
|align="center"|3-0
|align="center"|17-2
|align="center"|10-3
|align="center"|15-5
|align="center"|1-2
|align="center"|2-2
|align="center"|56-17 

|- 
|Grass Win-Loss
|align="center"|8-1
|align="center"|0-0
|align="center"|9-1
|align="center"|2-2
|align="center"|7-2
|align="center"|2-2
|align="center"|3-1
|align="center"|31-9

|- 
|Carpet Win-Loss
|align="center"|0-0
|align="center"|0-0
|align="center"|2-1
|align="center"|6-1
|align="center"|8-0
|align="center"|10-4
|align="center"|8-2
|align="center"|34-8

|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|Overall Win-Loss
|align="center"|45-6
|align="center"|20-2
|align="center"|90-12
|align="center"|51-17
|align="center"|58-18
|align="center"|30-17
|align="center"|19-7
|align="center"|313-79

|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|Year End Ranking 
|align="center"|
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|47
|align="center"|N/A
|}

===Doubles (11)===
{| bgcolor="#f7f8ff" cellpadding="3"
cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%;
border: #cccccc solid 1px; border-collapse:
collapse;"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| No.
| Date
| Tournament
| Partnering
| Opponents in the final
| Score
|-
| 1.
| 1999-10-27
| Bratislava                
| Laurence Courtois (Belgium)  
| Olga Barabanschikova (Belarus) / Lilia Osterloh
(USA)
| 6-2 3-6 7-5
|-
| 2.
| 2000-05-21
| Antwerp                               
| Sabine Appelmans (Belgium)
| Jennifer Hopkins (USA) / Petra Rampre (Slovenia)
| 6-1 6-1
|-
| 3.
| 2002-08-12                            
| Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles
| Jelena Dokic (Serbia)
| Daniela Hantuchová (Slovakia) / Ai Sugiyama
(Japan)
| 6-3 6-3
|-
| 4.
| 2002-10-27                        
| Luxemburg
| Janette Husarova (Slovakia)
| Kveta Peschke (Czech Republic) / Barbara Rittner
(Germany)
| 4-6 6-3 7-5
|-
| 5.
| 2003-01-12                          
| Sydney
| Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| Conchita Martinez (Spain) / Rennae Stubbs
(Australia)
| 6-3 6-3
|-
| 6.
| 2003-02-16                                   
| Antwerp
| Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| Nathalie Dechy / Emilie Loit (France)
| 6-2 6-0
|-
| 7.
| 2003-03-02
| Scottdale
| Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| Lindsay Davenport / Lisa Raymond (USA)
| 6-1 6-4
|-
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|8.
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|2003-06-08                    
        
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|French Open|Roland Garros
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain)
/ Paola Suarez (Argentina)
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|6-7 6-2 9-7
|-
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|9.
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|2003-07-06                    
   
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|Wimbledon
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain)
/ Paola Suarez (Argentina)
| bgcolor="#e5d1cb"|6-4 6-4
|-
| 10.
| 2003-08-03                            
| San Diego, California|San Diego
| Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| Lindsay Davenport / Lisa Raymond (USA)
| 6-4 7-5
|-
| 11.
| 2003-10-19
| Zurich
| Ai Sugiyama (Japan)
| Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) / Paola Suarez
(Argentina)
| 7-6 6-2
|}

== See also == 
*List of female tennis players

==External link==
*http://www.kimclijsters.be/ Official website
*wta|id=30458|name=Kim Clijsters

Tennis World Number Ones (women)