Triumphing in tennis is a difficult task. However, doing so after an early retirement and becoming a mother is even more remarkable. Kim Clijsters has one of the most inspiring stories on the tour, as she achieved success as a youngster before struggling with injuries, leaving the sport, and returning to the top again.
Born in 1983 in Belgium, Clijsters first rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reaching her first Grand Slam final at the 2001 French Open. Alongside Justine Henin, whose backhand was compared to Roger Federer’s, she helped put her country on the tennis map, leading Belgium to its first Fed Cup title in 2001.
Named WTA Newcomer of the Year in 1999, Clijsters was known for her powerful game and her ability to slide on hard courts and grass—something uncommon at the time. She was also a versatile player, capable of combining different shots to cover the entire court.
With her game, she rose to World No. 1 in both singles and doubles in 2003. However, Grand Slam success in singles took longer. After four runner-up finishes—twice at the French Open, once at the Australian Open, and once at the US Open—she finally clinched her first major title at the 2005 US Open.
Following her breakthrough, Clijsters struggled with injuries that prevented her from maintaining her best level. She suffered from hip problems, back pain, a bad ankle, and a torn wrist tendon, and underwent surgery for a cyst.
A Grand Slam as a Mother: The First Since 1980
During her time away, Clijsters married her longtime boyfriend, Brian Lynch, an American basketball coach and former professional player. In 2008, she gave birth to her daughter, Jada. A year later, she decided to return to the WTA Tour in what became one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history.
Just a week after returning, she entered the US Open as a wild card. She went on to defeat Caroline Wozniacki in the final, becoming the first unseeded woman to win the tournament and the first mother to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era. It was only her third tournament since coming back.
She also became the first mother to win a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980. Clijsters successfully defended her title in 2010 and added an Australian Open title in 2011. With three Grand Slam singles titles as a mother, she shares the Open Era record with Margaret Court.
Second Retirement and Third Stint
In 2012, injuries resurfaced, leading to her second retirement. However, she never fully stepped away from the game. She opened a tennis academy, traveled to tournaments, did commentary work, and played in exhibition matches with other legends.
While focusing on her family, she felt the urge to return to professional competition. “It was a feeling that I had inside for a little while,” Clijsters said after her 2020 comeback in Dubai. “Once in a while, that feeling would go away when I was home with the kids. A couple of times, it would come back. It got stronger and stronger.”
However, her comeback was short-lived. Over her career, Clijsters won 41 singles and 11 doubles titles, earning more than $24 million in prize money. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017, recognizing her impact on the sport.
“I always try to give my best in everything I do,” she said in 2022 after announcing her definitive retirement. “Maybe that’s something I would like to be remembered for.”
As tennis fans can attest, she certainly will be.