Not going to play lots of tourneys, says Clijsters

A mother of three, the 36-year-old Belgian announced plans in September last year to come out of retirement for a second time. But her return, initially scheduled for January, has been pushed back due to a knee injury. Clijsters, who previously rejoined the circuit between 2009 and 2012, said her priority this time is ensuring she is around when her children, aged between three and 11, needed her.

“It’s going to be different than before. I’m not going to play a lot of tournaments,” Clijsters said in an interview with The Telegraph here. “The kids aren’t going to travel with me as much. I’m going to have to pick my tournaments wisely to see what works with the kids. My kids and their schedules will not be affected by my decision to come back.”

While a return at this month’s Australian Open - the last Grand Slam she won in 2011 - has been ruled out, Clijsters has been given wildcards for later tournaments, including the Indian Wells Masters in March. She said the amount she will play would also depend on her fitness and recovery time.

“I know this isn’t a five-year career. It’s just going to be something for two, three or four years if I can stay healthy and learn more about how my body will react,” she said.