Clijsters Played Her Final Olympic Match

Written by: Staff on 3rd August 2012

Clijsters Played Her Final Olympic Match

epa03327218 Kim Clijsters of Belgium returns to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during the London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 30 July 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Kim Clijsters has long insisted one of the major reasons for her return to tennis after a premature retirement was to contest the Olympic Games at Wimbledon , and the Belgian’s drive for a medal came to a close at the quarter final stage against French Open champion Maria Sharapova.

But Clijsters, who is scheduled to retire for the second time after the US Open, has no regrets after her 6-2 7-5 defeat to Sharapova who is making her Olympic debut.

“It was great,” said Clijsters, currently ranked world no.36 but a player who has had four spells as the world no.1 and has spent a total of 20 weeks in top position with 41 WTA titles to her name. “It’s a nice experience every time you go out on Centre Court so I’m happy to say that my last match at Wimbledon was on Centre Court.”

In truth Clijsters, who returned to tennis in August 2009 after spending two years four months in retirement during which time she gave birth to a daughter Jada, could have no complaints after being overpowered by Sharapova. “I didn’t have many chances and overall she was the better player,” said the three times US Open champion.

“Of all the matches I’ve played against Maria this is the best that she’s served, and on grass it’s going to be tough to beat her.”

Sharapova was fulsome in her praise for the 29 year-old whose comeback also produced an Australian Open title in 2011. “Kim is so experienced, a grand slam champion,” said the Russian. “I knew that it would be really tough and I really wanted to win so I stayed extra focused. It was obviously getting close and it was such a tight second set I was just happy to get through this one.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Belgium tennis news, Kim Clijsters, London Olympics, London tennis news, Maria Sharapova, Olympic tennis, Sports, Tennis News, women tennis news