"I did not think I would have a big, serious injury like this after retirement": Kim Clijsters suffers serious injury during exhibition event

Former world number one Kim Clijsters has suffered a serious injury while featuring in an exhibition tennis event. The 42-year-old was one of the participants in the Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters, which also featured other big-name players.

The list included the likes of the former Grand Slam runner-up Eugenie Bouchard, former world number 11 Alize Cornet of France, former world number one Germany’s Angelique Kerber and the former world number two Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit.

For Clijsters, the tournament turned out to be a disaster as she suffered a serious injury. The Bilzen-Hoeselt-born player ruptured her Achilles tendon and, as a result, had to undergo surgery. Clijsters shared an update on her TikTok account about her surgery.

Clijsters stated that she never thought of suffering such a serious injury, even after retiring from the sport a long time back. Clijsters also said that she cannot wait to go back and spend time with her husband and kids to start recovery from the longstanding injury.

“Hi guys, I am in a hospital as you can probably tell,” she said in the video. “I ended up rupturing my Achillies tendon yesterday at the event in Luxembourg which was not fun but on the road to recovery now. In the next two weeks, I will be in this boot now. Very annoying injury obviously. I did not think that after I would be retired that I would have a big, serious injury like this but it is what it is. So can’t wait to get back to the States and be with Brian and the kids and start my recovery. For the people who knew me and who have been sending a lot of love, I really appreciate it. I was very bumped yesterday but is all good now. The injury has been done. It got connected again. I will keep giving you an update. I guess I am going to have to put some other people to work in the barn now because I am not going to do much for a little while.”

Clijsters also went on to express optimism that she will still be able to play tennis in the legends exhibition competitions in the future, and named Wimbledon Legends as something she is keen to play in the future. “Anyway, thank you so much everyone and I look forward to getting better,” said Clijsters. “Motivated to try and give myself an opportunity to play tennis again. Hopefully Wimbledon legends is what it will be.”

Clijsters had a fabulous career, which finally came to an end in 2022. Interestingly, it was the third time she retired from the sport. The first time she announced her retirement was back in 2009. After two years away, Clijsters returned to the court and had an impactful return, winning two Grand Slam titles and reclaiming the number two spot in the WTA rankings.

Clijsters once again announced retired in 2012, but interestingly made a return to the court after a gap of seven years in 2019. Clijsters finished her career with four Grand Slam titles. All four of those titles came while playing on the hard court. Three of those came while playing at the US Open in 2005, 2009, and 2010, and the other one came at the Australian Open.

Clijsters also played in the final of the French Open, but lost twice, in 2001 and 2003. Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam tournament where Clijsters never reached the final. Her best performance at Wimbledon was reaching the semifinals twice, in 2003 and 2006. Clijsters’ last Grand Slam title came in 2010 when she lifted the US Open after beating Russia’s Vera Zvonareva in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1.