Kim Clijsters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kim Clijsters

Clijsters in 2011
Country (sports)	Belgium
Residence	Bree, Belgium New Jersey, U.S.
Born	(1983-06-08) 8 June 1983 (age 42) Bilzen, Belgium
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 8½ in)
Turned pro	17 August 1997
Retired	2007–2009; 2012–2020; 12 April 2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Fred Hemmes Jr. (2020–2022)
Prize money	US$24,545,194 15th in all-time rankings
Int. Tennis HoF	2017 (member page)
Official website	kimclijsters.com
Singles
Career record	523–132 (79.85%)
Career titles	41
Highest ranking	No. 1 (11 August 2003)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2011)
French Open	F (2001, 2003)
Wimbledon	SF (2003, 2006)
US Open	W (2005, 2009, 2010)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2002, 2003, 2010)
Olympic Games	QF (2012)
Doubles
Career record	131–55 (70.43%)
Career titles	11
Highest ranking	No. 1 (4 August 2003)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	QF (2003)
French Open	W (2003)
Wimbledon	W (2003)
US Open	QF (2002)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2003)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	3R (2000)
Wimbledon	F (2000)
US Open	2R (2012)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2001)
Hopman Cup	RR (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)

Kim Clijsters (born 8 June 1983) is a famous Belgian former professional tennis player. She was once ranked number one in the world for both singles and doubles tennis at the same time in 2003. Kim won 41 singles titles and 11 doubles titles during her career. This includes four big singles tournaments called Grand Slam majors and two doubles majors. She also won the Tour Finals three times in singles.

Kim Clijsters played tennis professionally starting in 1997. Her main rivals were her fellow Belgian, Justine Henin, and Serena Williams. Kim was the first Belgian player to reach the number one ranking in tennis. She and Justine Henin helped make Belgium a strong country in women's tennis. They led Belgium to its first Fed Cup win in 2001.

After losing in her first four major singles finals, Kim finally won her first big singles title at the 2005 US Open. She retired from tennis in 2007 at age 23 because of injuries and a desire to start a family. She got married and had a daughter.

Kim surprised everyone by returning to tennis two years later. She won the US Open as an unranked player. This was only her third tournament back! She won the US Open again the next year. Then, she won the Australian Open in 2011. This made her the first mother to be ranked world number one. She shares the record with Margaret Court for most major singles titles won as a mother (three). She was also the first mother to win a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980. Kim retired again after the 2012 US Open. She had a short second comeback from 2020 to 2022.

Kim Clijsters was known for her amazing athleticism. She could even do splits on the court during a point! Her playing style was aggressive but controlled. She was also very popular and well-liked. She won the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award eight times. Kim was added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017.

Kim's Early Life and Family

Kim Clijsters was born on June 8, 1983, in Bilzen, Belgium. She grew up in a town called Bree with her younger sister, Elke. Her parents, Lei Clijsters and Els Vandecaetsbeek, were both great athletes.

Her mom, Els, was a Belgian national champion in artistic gymnastics. Her dad, Lei, was a professional soccer player. He played for the Belgium national football team in two World Cups. Kim says her parents gave her a soccer player's strong legs and a gymnast's flexibility. She also believes their support and freedom helped her succeed.

When Kim was five, her dad built a clay tennis court at their home. This was a gift to celebrate him winning a big soccer award. Kim had started playing tennis earlier that year and loved it. She trained a lot, even joining other groups' warm-ups because she never wanted to leave the court.

She worked with different coaches as she grew up. These coaches helped her develop her amazing tennis skills.

Junior Tennis Career

Kim Clijsters was very successful in tennis from a young age. In 1993, at age ten, she won a Belgian junior doubles championship with Justine Henin. A year later, she won the singles event.

She continued to play with Henin, winning European junior titles. Her first big international junior win was at Les Petits As, a top tournament for players under 14.

In 1998, Kim had her best year as a junior. She won two junior Grand Slam doubles titles: the French Open with Jelena Dokic and the US Open with Eva Dyrberg. She also reached the singles final at Wimbledon. She finished the year ranked world number 11 in singles and number 4 in doubles for juniors.

Starting Her Professional Career (1997–1999)

Clijsters (right) with her idol Steffi Graf in 2009. Graf won their only meeting on the WTA Tour in 1999.

Kim Clijsters started playing professional tournaments at 14. In 1998, she won her first professional singles and doubles titles in Brussels. She won four more titles in the next year.

In 1999, Belgian women's tennis was growing. Kim made her first appearance at a WTA tournament in Antwerp. She reached the quarterfinals there.

One week after turning 16, Kim played at Wimbledon. She was the youngest player in the top 200. She made it to the round of 16 in her first Grand Slam. She even beat world No. 10 Amanda Coetzer. She then lost to her childhood idol, Steffi Graf.

Kim also did well at the US Open, losing to the eventual champion Serena Williams. She then won her first WTA title at the Luxembourg Open. She beat the top-ranked Belgian player, Dominique Van Roost, in the final. At the end of 1999, Kim was named WTA Newcomer of the Year. She had climbed to No. 47 in the world.

Becoming a Top Player (2000–2002)

In 2000, Kim won two more titles: the Tasmanian International and the Sparkassen Cup. This second win was her first at a higher-level tournament. She also reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon with her boyfriend, Lleyton Hewitt. She finished the year ranked No. 18.

The Kockelscheuer Sport Centre (Heather Watson pictured), where Clijsters won five Luxembourg Open titles, including three consecutive from 2001 to 2003

In 2001, Kim reached her first major final at the French Open. She was the first Belgian to do so. She beat Justine Henin in the semifinals. The final against Jennifer Capriati was very close. Kim lost in three sets after a long match. She also reached her first Grand Slam doubles final at Wimbledon with Ai Sugiyama. Kim won three singles titles in 2001 and finished the year ranked No. 5 in singles and No. 15 in doubles.

In 2002, Kim stayed in the top ten despite a shoulder injury. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. Later that year, she won three more titles. She then won the WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles. She beat Serena Williams in the final, which was a big upset. Kim called it the "best victory of [her] career."

World No. 1 in Singles and Doubles (2003)

The year 2003 was amazing for Kim Clijsters. She played in 21 singles tournaments, reaching the semifinals in almost all of them. She made it to 15 finals and won nine titles. She won 90 matches that year, which was a huge achievement.

Kim also played a lot of doubles with Ai Sugiyama. They won seven titles together. This year also saw the peak of the rivalry between Kim and Justine Henin. They played each other eight times, with six of those matches being in finals.

Because of her success, Kim became the first Belgian player to be ranked world No. 1 in singles. She also became world No. 1 in doubles in August. This made her only the fifth player in WTA history to hold both top rankings at the same time.

Singles Success in 2003

Kim started 2003 by winning the Sydney International. She won 17 matches in a row without losing a set. Her streak ended when she lost to Serena Williams in the Australian Open semifinals. Kim had a big lead in that match but couldn't close it out.

She then won her first Tier I title at the Indian Wells Open. She won another big title on clay at the Italian Open.

At the French Open, Kim and Justine Henin both reached the final. This meant a Belgian would win a Grand Slam singles title for the first time. Henin won the final easily. Kim then lost to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals.

After Wimbledon, Kim won two more titles. She became world No. 1 after winning the Los Angeles Open. She was the first woman to reach No. 1 without winning a Grand Slam singles title. At the US Open, Kim was the top seed but lost to Henin again in the final.

Kim continued to battle Henin for the No. 1 ranking. She defended her title at the Tennis Grand Prix. She then won the Luxembourg Open for the third year in a row, regaining the top spot. She finished her season by winning the WTA Tour Championships again. She earned a million dollars, becoming the first player to earn four million dollars in a season.

Doubles Grand Slam Titles in 2003

Ai Sugiyama, Clijsters's doubles partner in 2003

Kim and Ai Sugiyama won three hard court titles early in 2003. They then reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. They beat the top-ranked team of Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez in both finals. These were Kim's first two Grand Slam titles.

Despite these wins, they remained behind Ruano Pascual and Suarez in the rankings until Kim became world No. 1 in August. She held the top doubles ranking for four weeks. Kim didn't play much doubles after 2003.

Injuries and First Grand Slam Singles Title (2004–2005)

Kim's 2004 season was affected by injuries. She reached the final of the Australian Open but lost to Henin. She then won her first WTA title in Belgium at the Diamond Games in Antwerp. However, she later had wrist surgery and missed most of the year.

There were doubts about Kim's return in 2005. But she came back strong in February. She won two big tournaments in March: the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open. This made her the second woman to win both events in the same year, a feat called the "Sunshine Double." She beat world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport and No. 2 Amélie Mauresmo and No. 3 Maria Sharapova. These wins brought her ranking back into the top 20.

After Wimbledon, Kim had an amazing run, losing only one match until October. She won five titles, including her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open. She beat Mary Pierce easily in the final. This was a huge moment for Kim. She was named both the WTA Player of the Year and the WTA Comeback Player of the Year. Despite her success, she announced she planned to retire in 2007 due to her injury problems.

Retirement and Comebacks (2006–2012)

Clijsters in 2006

In 2006, Kim continued to struggle with injuries. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. She briefly regained the No. 1 ranking in February. Henin often beat her in their matches during this time.

Kim intended to retire at the end of 2007, but injuries forced her to stop playing earlier. She won her only title of the year at the Sydney International. She played her last tournament in May 2007 and announced her retirement at age 23.

First Comeback and US Open Titles (2009–2010)

After retiring, Kim married basketball player Brian Lynch and had a daughter, Jada, in 2008. Her father passed away in 2009. Kim decided to return to tennis, seeing it as a "second career." She played an exhibition match at Wimbledon in May 2009, which motivated her.

Clijsters at the 2010 US Open

Kim returned to the tour in August 2009. She was unranked but received special entries into tournaments. She shocked the tennis world by winning the US Open. She beat both Venus and Serena Williams along the way. This made her the first unseeded woman to win the US Open and the first mother to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1980. She was named WTA Comeback Player of the Year again.

In 2010, Kim played a limited schedule to focus on her family. She won the Brisbane International, beating Henin in a close match. She also won the Miami Open for the second time. Kim successfully defended her title at the US Open, winning her third straight US Open championship. She finished the season at No. 3 and was named WTA Player of the Year for the second time.

Australian Open Champion and Second Retirement (2011–2012)

Kim planned to retire again in 2012. She started 2011 by winning the Australian Open, her fourth Grand Slam singles title. This was her first major win outside the US Open. This would be her last career title. She briefly regained the world No. 1 ranking.

Clijsters after her last WTA singles match win against Victoria Duval

Injuries limited Kim's play for the rest of 2011 and into 2012. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open as the defending champion. She had a tough win against Li Na, saving match points. Kim retired officially after the 2012 US Open. She played her last singles match against Laura Robson.

Second Comeback (2020–2022)

After more than seven years, Kim Clijsters returned to professional tennis in February 2020. She played a few tournaments but struggled with injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic. She had knee surgery in October 2020.

In 2021, she played a couple more events but continued to face challenges. On April 12, 2022, Kim announced she was ending her second comeback. She wanted to focus more on her family life.

Playing for Belgium

Fed Cup

Kim Clijsters first played for Belgium in the Fed Cup in 2000. This is a team competition for women's tennis. In 2001, Kim and Justine Henin led Belgium to their first Fed Cup championship. They won all their matches against Spain, Germany, and Australia. In the final, they beat Russia to secure the title.

In 2006, Belgium almost won the Fed Cup again. Kim helped the team reach the final, but she missed the final match due to a wrist injury. Overall, Kim had a great record in Fed Cup, winning 24 matches and losing only 4.

Hopman Cup

Kim played in the Hopman Cup from 2001 to 2004. This tournament has teams of one male and one female player from the same country. Her team did not reach the final in any of those years.

Olympics

Kim Clijsters did not play in the Olympics until 2012. She missed earlier Olympics due to injuries or other reasons. She really wanted to represent Belgium at the 2012 London Games.

In her Olympic debut, Kim won her first three matches easily. She reached the quarterfinals but lost to Maria Sharapova.

Kim's Playing Style

Clijsters serving

Kim Clijsters was known as an "all-court player." This means she was good at both attacking and defending. She had amazing movement on the court, which helped her get to almost any ball. Other players often said she could "get every ball back."

One of her special moves was a stretched-out forehand shot, sometimes called a "squash shot." She could hit this shot even when she was out of position. Kim was famous for sliding into the ball and finishing in a split, even on hard courts and grass, which is very rare!

Clijsters hitting a backhand

Kim's game was about being aggressive but staying in control. She could hit winners from the baseline with both her forehand and backhand. She was also one of the best at returning serves. She liked to take control of the point right away.

She was also good at moving from the back of the court to the net quickly. This helped her finish points with volleys. Kim said her experience in doubles helped her improve her net game in singles. Her coaches said she became even more aggressive after her first comeback.

Coaches Who Helped Kim

Kim Clijsters worked with Belgian coaches throughout her career. Her first coach was Bart Van Kerckhoven. She started her professional career with Carl Maes as her coach. Carl coached her from 1996 to 2002. During this time, she won the Fed Cup and reached the French Open final.

After Carl, she hired Marc De Hous in 2002. With Marc, Kim won two WTA Tour Championships and two Grand Slam doubles titles. They stopped working together after she won her first Grand Slam singles title in 2005. Kim then played without a coach until her first retirement.

When Kim came back in 2009, she hired Wim Fissette. Wim had been her hitting partner before. With Wim, Kim won three more Grand Slam singles titles and became world No. 1 again. She later rehired Carl Maes and worked with him until her second retirement. For her second comeback in 2020, she worked with Fred Hemmes Jr.

Endorsements and Sponsors

Kim Clijsters was sponsored by many companies during her career. Babolat sponsored her tennis racquets, and she used their Pure Drive model. Fila sponsored her clothing.

Kim was careful about which products she supported. She said she wouldn't endorse anything unhealthy for kids or anything that didn't match her values. She wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle. She endorsed companies like Chiquita (bananas) and USANA (nutrition). She also had deals with Citizen Watch, Telenet, and Thomas Cook Group.

After she retired, Kim opened the Kim Clijsters Academy in her hometown. This academy helps young tennis players.

Kim's Personal Life

Kim Clijsters is married to Brian Lynch, an American basketball coach. They met when Brian played for a team in Kim's hometown. They bonded over having pet bulldogs! They got married in 2007.

They have three children: a daughter named Jada (born 2008), and two sons named Jack (born 2013) and Blake (born 2016). The family lives in both Bree, Belgium, and New Jersey, USA.

Kim's younger sister, Elke, was also a talented tennis player. Elke won two junior Grand Slam doubles titles. She retired from tennis at age 19 due to back problems.

Early in her career, Kim was in a relationship with Australian tennis player Lleyton Hewitt. They even reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon in 2000. Their relationship led to Kim being nicknamed "Aussie Kim" by Australian fans.

Kim's childhood tennis idol was Steffi Graf. She said playing against Graf at Wimbledon in 1999 was a huge moment for her. She also looked up to Monica Seles.

Kim cares about helping children. She is an ambassador for SOS Children's Villages in Belgium, which helps children without parents. She also started Ten4Kim, a nonprofit that helps young tennis players who can't afford training costs.

After her retirement, Kim sometimes worked as a tennis commentator for TV. She also coached a few players part-time.

Kim's Career Achievements

Kim Clijsters is considered one of the greatest women's tennis players. She is ranked as the 14th-greatest in the Open Era by Tennis.com. Her 41 singles titles are the 14th most in the Open Era. Since 2000, only the Williams sisters, Justine Henin, and Maria Sharapova have won more Grand Slam singles titles than Kim.

She won the WTA Tour Championships three times, which is tied for the fifth most in history. Kim won Grand Slam titles in both singles (US Open, Australian Open) and doubles (French Open, Wimbledon). She is one of only six players in WTA history to be ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles at the same time.

Kim and Justine Henin are credited with "putting Belgium on the tennis map." Before them, Belgium didn't have many top-ranked tennis players. With Kim on the team, Belgium reached the Fed Cup semifinals four times and won the championship in 2001. Kim was also the first Belgian to be ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles.

Kim was very popular and well-liked by fans and other players. She won the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award a record eight times. She was proud of being known as a kind person on the tour.

Kim is also an inspiration to mothers who play tennis. She is one of only three mothers to win a Grand Slam singles title. Her three titles as a mother are tied for the most ever with Margaret Court. Kim is also the only mother to be ranked No. 1 in the world since 1975. She was even on the Time 100 list in 2011 because of her successful comeback.

Career statistics

Grand Slam performance timelines

Singles

Doubles

Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 8 (4 titles, 4 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2001	French Open	Clay	Jennifer Capriati	6–1, 4–6, 10–12
Loss	2003	French Open	Clay	Justine Henin	0–6, 4–6
Loss	2003	US Open	Hard	Justine Henin	5–7, 1–6
Loss	2004	Australian Open	Hard	Justine Henin	3–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win	2005	US Open	Hard	Mary Pierce	6–3, 6–1
Win	2009	US Open (2)	Hard	Caroline Wozniacki	7–5, 6–3
Win	2010	US Open (3)	Hard	Vera Zvonareva	6–2, 6–1
Win	2011	Australian Open	Hard	Li Na	3–6, 6–3, 6–3

Doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	2001	Wimbledon	Grass	Ai Sugiyama	Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs	4–6, 3–6
Win	2003	French Open	Clay	Ai Sugiyama	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	6–7(5–7), 6–2, 9–7
Win	2003	Wimbledon	Grass	Ai Sugiyama	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	6–4, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	2000	Wimbledon	Grass	Lleyton Hewitt	Kimberly Po Donald Johnson	4–6, 6–7(3–7)

Sources: ITF profile and WTA profile

Awards and Honors

ITF awards

• World Champion: 2005

WTA awards

• Newcomer of the Year: 1999
• Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012
• Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award: 2003, 2006, 2010
• Comeback Player of the Year: 2005, 2009
• Player of the Year: 2005, 2010
• Humanitarian of the Year: 2006

National awards

• Belgian Promising Youngster of the Year (Beloftevolle Jongere van het Jaar): 1998
• Belgian Sportswoman of the Year: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Vlaamse Reus: 2000, 2001, 2010
• Flemish Sportsjewel (Vlaams Sportjuweel): 2001
• Belgian National Sports Merit Award: 2001 (with Henin)
• Belgian Sports Personality of the Year: 2003
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, by Royal Decree of King Albert II (Grootkruis in de Kroonorde): 2003 (with Henin)
• Belgian Sporting Team of the Year: 2006 (with Fed Cup team members Butkiewicz, Flipkens, Henin, and Caroline Maes)

International awards

• Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year: 2010
• International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee: 2017

Images for kids

• 

  King Baudouin Stadium, where Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams set a world record for tennis attendance.

See also

In Spanish: Kim Clijsters para niños

• List of Grand Slam women's singles champions
• List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions