Kim Clijsters is coming back! Again!

el sergento

el sergento

Hall of Fame
Well why not? The WTA is about sprinting, not running a marathon, and she’s younger than Serena.

Roof at all 4 majors now, players (men and women combined) can play into their 40’s these days.
 
Aussie Darcy

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Kim Clijsters career:

2011 Australian Open champ
2005, 2009 and 2011 US Open champ
8 slam finals (4 wins, 4 losses)
#1 for 20 weeks (first in 2003, lastly in 2011)
41 career titles
2 doubles slams, 1 runner up
1 mixed doubles final (with then future fiance Lleyton Hewitt)
3rd career comeback
36 years old
 
Aussie Darcy

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
UnderratedSlam said:
Is this a joke?

Clijsters and Li Na left a huge gap in women's tennis. Both played spectacularly clean tennis and had a winning mentality.

But at her age? I doubt it. Perhaps doubles. She won't be winning any slams in singles, that's for sure.
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She's 36 (younger than Serena, Fed and Venus). She’s only a little bit older than Kuznetsova, Kanepi and Stosur who are still going deep in singles (Kuzy and Kanepi) or winning doubles slams (Stosur).

If she can get match fit then who knows, I won’t be tipping for her slams but I won’t be ruling her out before it’s started.
 
James P

James P

Hall of Fame
Good luck. Don't see it being a particularly successful return, but it'd be nice to see an old champion try to return to her former glory.
 
upchuck

upchuck

Professional
It will be interesting to see if she still has the quickness and moves well. If yes, she'll be an immediate contender for slams. The best players from her generation are so much better than the players who have emerged since, save possibly Osaka and Andreescu.

It's very telling that there is so much excitement for the return of someone who made her first slam final in 2001 and is now 36.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

Hall of Fame
Aussie Darcy said:
She's 36 (younger than Serena, Fed and Venus). She’s only a little bit older than Kuznetsova, Kanepi and Stosur who are still going deep in singles (Kuzy and Kanepi) or winning doubles slams (Stosur).

If she can get match fit then who knows, I won’t be tipping for her slams but I won’t be ruling her out before it’s started.
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She's been AWAY from tennis for SEVEN YEARS. Hence your age comparison is moot.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

Hall of Fame
thrust said:
It sounds real to me. Kim is an extraordinary athlete with a strong body, and could do well against today's weak era top players.
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Wouldn't it be HILARIOUS if Kim won a slam within months of the comeback - having had THREE kids - with Serena still chasing that elusive first post-kid title?

I would love that.

Especially if she beat Serena in a finale.

And at Wimbledon, to boot, where Kim has rarely been great.

Pure fiction, sure.
 
bjsnider

bjsnider

Hall of Fame
skaj said:
There is a God. Henin and Hingis next please.
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Unfortunately Henin retired because, while playing at Wimbledon, she played on after injuring her elbow. During the course of the match, the elbow was rendered hopelessly unplayable, ie. chronically injured. By the time the match was over, the elbow was just ground beef. She can't play any more.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

Hall of Fame
bjsnider said:
Unfortunately Henin retired because, while playing at Wimbledon, she played on after injuring her elbow. During the course of the match, the elbow was rendered hopelessly unplayable, ie. chronically injured. By the time the match was over, the elbow was just ground beef. She can't play any more.
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Not even recreational tennis?

Weird that it can't be fixed surgically.
 
skaj

skaj

Hall of Fame
bjsnider said:
Unfortunately Henin retired because, while playing at Wimbledon, she played on after injuring her elbow. During the course of the match, the elbow was rendered hopelessly unplayable, ie. chronically injured. By the time the match was over, the elbow was just ground beef. She can't play any more.
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Yes, but if I remember well, when retiring she said that she could go for surgery but that it would take a year or so to recover, and by the time that happens she would be too old. The "age limits" have changed in the meantime by Serena, Federer, now Nadal, even Venus who played grand slam finals as a 35+ year old. I don't know in what kind of shape is her body now, I do hope that it had healed and that it allows here to come back one more time.
 
skaj

skaj

Hall of Fame
UnderratedSlam said:
Wouldn't it be HILARIOUS if Kim won a slam within months of the comeback - having had THREE kids - with Serena still chasing that elusive first post-kid title?

I would love that.

Especially if she beat Serena in a finale.

And at Wimbledon, to boot, where Kim has rarely been great.

Pure fiction, sure.
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Not with this field, if she plays near to her best.
 
mightyrick

mightyrick

Legend
A Clijsters comeback would be an incredible thing for women's tennis. This women's field is pretty strong, though, so she is going to have an uphill battle.

But if there's anybody who has the mental fortitude for that kind of an uphill battle, it is Kim Clijsters.
 
Mr.Lob

Mr.Lob

Legend
Interesting to see Kim training for tennis by boxing. Really working that jab. Going to need it against Serena.
 
D

Deleted member 763691

Guest
Be even more interesting if Margaret Court returns and pushes her record further away from Serena!
Plus I've never even seen Margaret Court play, so it'd be even more interesting than Clijsters returning :)
 
Mr.Lob

Mr.Lob

Legend
UnderratedSlam said:
She's been AWAY from tennis for SEVEN YEARS. Hence your age comparison is moot.
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Trivia question of the day. What men's player left the game and tried to comeback after 7 years? Bjorn Borg, of course. Was about the same age. Lost 8 (?)straight first round matches. Didn't win a set. Kim must see something in this WTA field that leads her to believe she can win.
 
TnsGuru

TnsGuru

Professional
I hope her comeback will be more successful than the Bartoli comeback. That was short-lived and not surprising.
On the other hand, I believe Kim could do it if she can get into decent shape. Maybe doubles for a bit to get her feet wet and then transition into singles would be better?
 
skaj

skaj

Hall of Fame
helixx said:
i doubt she will play near her best at this age with such a long break. look at azarenka. she was out only like 2 years maybe not even so long and where is she? she cant get herself back anywhere to her level before pregnancy.
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I know, but every player is different, let's hope for the best.
 
ChaelAZ

ChaelAZ

Legend
el sergento said:
Dude, she has 3 kids, forget about winning majors, she just wants to get the hell out of the house!
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Lol TRUTH!

And really she can earn at least $250k a year and travel without even winning majors, so a good job to do for another 10 years. Better yet, I assume that also improves her retirement package through the WTA.

All good things.
 
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