Kim Clijsters: The Life Story Behind Belgium's Comeback Queen

Kim Clijsters is the player who proved that a mother can come back and win. She retired from tennis at twenty-three, she had a daughter, she lived a normal life for two years, and then she returned to the tour, and she won the US Open. She did it as an unranked player, she did it in front of a crowd that had never seen anything like it, and she did it with her daughter in her arms after the final. That image, of a mother holding her child and holding a trophy, became one of the most famous pictures in tennis.

Her story is not only about that comeback. It is about a girl from Bilzen in Belgium who was the daughter of a famous footballer, who became world number one as a teenager, who lost Grand Slam finals and then won them, who retired early because she was tired and hurt, and who then found a second life in tennis that was even better than the first. It is a story about joy, about family, and about a player who loved the game so much that she could not stay away.

This is the story of a woman who smiled on court, who played with power and with grace, who made friends wherever she went, and who showed the world that a career does not have to end when a woman becomes a mother. It is a happy story, and it is also a brave story, because coming back is never easy, and coming back as a mother is harder still.

A Footballer’s Daughter From Bilzen

Kim Clijsters was born on 8 June 1983 in Bilzen, a small town in Belgium. Her father, Lei Clijsters, was a famous Belgian footballer who played for the national team, and her mother, Els, was a gymnast. Sport was in her blood, and she grew up in a home where sport was normal. She began to play tennis when she was young, and she showed a natural talent for it. She was strong, she was fast, and she could hit the ball hard.

Her father taught her to be a good sport, and to respect her opponents, and to enjoy the game. That lesson stayed with her for her whole career. She was known as one of the nicest players on the tour, a player who smiled, who laughed, and who made friends with everyone. She did not have the coldness of some champions. She had warmth, and that warmth made people love her.

She played junior tournaments, and she won many of them. She turned professional in 1997, when she was fourteen, and she began to play on the women’s tour. She was still a teenager, but she was already strong, and she was already winning matches against older players. She climbed the rankings quickly, and she became a star in Belgium, along with her fellow Belgian, Justine Henin. The two girls, from the same small country, became the best players in the world, and Belgium became a tennis nation overnight.

Her father died in 2009, after a long illness, and that loss was a large part of her life. He had been her hero, and he had supported her throughout her career. She has spoken about how much he meant to her, and about how she missed him. That loss, like the loss of a parent for any child, shaped her, and it made her appreciate her family more. She became a mother herself, and she understood what her father had given her.

World Number One and the Finals She Lost

In her early twenties, Clijsters became one of the best players in the world. She won titles, she reached Grand Slam finals, and she became world number one in 2003. She was twenty years old, and she was at the top of the game. But the Grand Slam titles did not come easily. She lost the French Open final in 2001 to Jennifer Capriati, she lost the French Open final in 2003 to Henin, she lost the US Open final in 2003 to Henin, and she lost the Australian Open final in 2004 to Henin. Four Grand Slam finals, four losses, and three of them to her fellow Belgian.

Those losses were painful, and they made people wonder whether she would ever win a Grand Slam. She was a great player, but she could not win the biggest matches. She was too nice, some people said, and she did not have the killer instinct that a champion needs. She did not agree, and she kept working, and she kept believing that her time would come.

Her game was built on power and movement. She was strong, she could hit the ball hard from both sides, and she could slide on hard courts in a way that few players could. She did the splits to reach a ball, and she got up and played the next point, and the crowd loved her for it. She was also a great doubles player, and she won Grand Slam doubles titles, and she was world number one in doubles as well. She was a complete player, and she was fun to watch.

In 2005, she finally won a Grand Slam singles title. She won the US Open, beating Mary Pierce in the final, and she became a Grand Slam champion. It was a sweet win, because it came after so many losses, and because it proved that she could win the biggest matches. She cried, she smiled, and she celebrated with her family. The girl from Bilzen had become a champion, and she had done it her own way, with a smile on her face.

Retirement at Twenty-Three

After winning the US Open in 2005, Clijsters continued to play well, but her body began to break down. She had injuries to her wrist, her hip, and her ankle, and she missed tournaments. She was also tired. She had been playing tennis since she was a child, and she had been at the top for many years, and she wanted a different life. She wanted to get married, to have a family, and to live a normal life away from the tour.

In 2007, when she was twenty-three, she announced her retirement from professional tennis. It was a shock, because she was still young, and she was still one of the best players in the world. But she was sure. She married Brian Lynch, an American basketball player, and she settled in Belgium. In 2008, she gave birth to her daughter, Jada, and she became a mother. She lived a quiet life, and she enjoyed it. She did not miss tennis, or so she thought.

But tennis was still a part of her, and she began to play again, for fun, in exhibitions and in small events. She found that she still loved the game, and that she still had the talent. She began to train, and she began to think about coming back. It was a crazy idea, people said. She was a mother, she had been away for two years, and the game had moved on. But Clijsters did not listen. She believed she could do it, and she set out to prove it.

Her father was ill during this time, and she spent time with him. He died in January 2009, and it was a hard time for her family. She grieved, and she trained, and she prepared for her comeback. The comeback would be a tribute to her father, and to her family, and to the game she loved. She would return to the US Open in 2009, and she would change tennis history.

The Mother Who Won the US Open

In August 2009, Clijsters returned to the tour, playing in Cincinnati, and she won matches. She was unranked, because she had been away for two years, and she had to play with a wild card. She went to the US Open in New York, and she played with a freedom that surprised everyone. She beat Venus Williams, she beat Serena Williams in a tense semi-final, and she reached the final. In the final, she beat Caroline Wozniacki, and she won the US Open title.

It was an extraordinary achievement. No mother had ever won a Grand Slam singles title in the open era, and no unranked player had ever won the US Open. Clijsters had done both, in her third tournament back, after two years away. She celebrated with her daughter Jada, who ran onto the court, and the picture of mother and daughter with the trophy became famous around the world. It was a moment of pure joy, and it showed that a woman can be a mother and a champion at the same time.

She won the US Open again in 2010, beating Vera Zvonareva in the final, and she won the Australian Open in 2011, beating Li Na in the final. She had now won four Grand Slam singles titles, and three of them had come after her comeback, as a mother. She was world number one again, and she was playing the best tennis of her life. The comeback was not a one-time event. It was a second career, and it was better than the first.

She also became a role model for mothers in sport. Young women who had given up their careers to have children saw Clijsters and believed that they could come back. She showed that motherhood does not end a career, and that a woman can be both a mother and an athlete. That message mattered, and it changed the way people thought about women in sport. She was not only a tennis champion. She was a pioneer.

Injuries, a Second Farewell, and a Third Return

After her comeback, Clijsters continued to play, but her body began to break down again. She had injuries to her ankle, her hip, and her abdomen, and she missed tournaments. She retired for a second time in 2012, after playing at the US Open, and she said goodbye to the game. She was twenty-nine, she had won four Grand Slam titles, and she had become a mother and a champion. She felt she had done enough, and she wanted to focus on her family.

She had two more children, a son Jack and another son Blake, and she lived a quiet life in Belgium. She worked in tennis, she coached, and she helped young players. She was happy, and she did not miss the tour. But tennis was still a part of her, and in 2019, she announced that she would come back for a third time, at the age of thirty-six, as a mother of three. It was a bold decision, and many people thought it was impossible.

She returned in 2020, but the comeback was hard. She had injuries, she had the pandemic, and she was playing against women who were much younger. She won matches, but she did not win titles, and she struggled to stay fit. In 2022, she announced her retirement for a third and final time, at the age of thirty-eight. She had tried, and she had given her best, and she was proud of the effort, even if the results were not the same as before.

Her third comeback was not about winning Grand Slams. It was about loving the game, and about showing her children that you can try, even when it is hard. She did not need to come back, and she did not need to prove anything, but she wanted to play, and she played. That is a lesson in itself, and it is a part of her story that many people admire.

What Kim Clijsters Means to Tennis

Kim Clijsters leaves behind a legacy that is about more than tennis. She won four Grand Slam singles titles, she was world number one in singles and in doubles, and she won many other titles. But her greatest achievement is the comeback as a mother, and the message that it sent to women around the world. She showed that a mother can be a champion, and that a career does not have to end when a child is born. That message has changed sport, and it has given hope to many women.

She also leaves behind a legacy of kindness. She was known as one of the nicest players on the tour, a player who smiled, who laughed, and who made friends. She did not have the coldness of some champions, and she did not need it. She won with warmth, and she lost with grace, and she was respected by everyone who played against her. That kindness is a part of her story, and it is a part that will be remembered.

She is in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and she is regarded as one of the greatest Belgian athletes of all time. Her rivalry with Henin made Belgian tennis famous, and her comeback made mothers in sport famous. She is a mother of three, a wife, a coach, and a champion, and she has lived a full life. The girl from Bilzen who was the daughter of a footballer became a tennis queen, and she did it with a smile.

The Splits, the Smile, and a Style of Her Own

Clijsters was famous for a move that no other player could do as well as she did: the splits. When a ball was wide, she would slide and do the splits, reaching the ball with her racket, and then she would get up and play the next point. It was a spectacular move, and the crowd loved it, because it showed her flexibility, her athleticism, and her determination. She did the splits on hard courts, on clay, and on grass, and she made it look easy, even though it was incredibly hard on her body. It became her trademark, and it was a symbol of her game: she would do anything to reach a ball, and she would never give up on a point.

Her smile was another trademark. She smiled on court, she smiled in press conferences, and she smiled when she won and when she lost. That smile made people love her, because it showed that she enjoyed tennis, and that she was a happy person. In a sport that is often serious and stressful, her smile was a reminder that tennis can be fun. She did not smile because she was not competitive. She smiled because she loved the game, and because she was grateful to be playing it. That joy was a large part of why she was so popular, and why fans around the world cheered for her.

Her style was built on power and on movement. She was strong, she could hit the ball hard from both sides, and she could move well for a big player. She had a powerful forehand, a solid backhand, and a serve that was reliable. She played aggressively, she took the ball early, and she tried to win points quickly. But she also had a great defence, and she could run for balls that others could not reach. That combination of power and movement made her a complete player, and it made her hard to beat when she was fit and confident.

A Hall of Fame Career and a Life in Belgium

Clijsters was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017, a fitting honour for a player who had won four Grand Slam titles and who had been world number one. She was recognised not only for her tennis, but for her comeback as a mother, and for the message that it sent to women around the world. She was a pioneer, and the Hall of Fame recognised that. She spoke at the ceremony about her family, about her father, and about her daughter, and she thanked the people who had supported her. It was a proud moment, and it was a moment she deserved.

She lives in Belgium with her family, and she is involved in tennis as a coach and as a mentor. She helps young Belgian players, and she works with the Belgian tennis federation. She is also a mother of three, and she balances her work with her family life. She has said that she is happy, and that she is at peace with her career, and that she does not regret anything. She played tennis, she won, she retired, she came back, and she won again. That is a full career, and it is a career to be proud of.

Her legacy in Belgium is clear. She and Henin made Belgian tennis famous, and they inspired a generation of young players. Clijsters also inspired mothers in sport, and she showed that a woman can be a mother and a champion at the same time. That message has changed sport, and it will continue to change it for years to come. She is a national hero in Belgium, and she is loved by fans around the world for her smile, for her fighting spirit, and for her kindness.

The 2005 US Open: Finally a Champion

The US Open in 2005 was the tournament where Clijsters finally became a Grand Slam champion, after losing four finals. She played well throughout the tournament, and she reached the final against Mary Pierce, a French player who was playing some of the best tennis of her career. Clijsters won in straight sets, and she cried, and she celebrated with her family. It was a sweet win, because it came after so much pain, and because it proved that she could win the biggest matches. She had been called a player who could not win a final, and she had proved them wrong.

That win also changed how people saw her. She was no longer a player who lost finals. She was a Grand Slam champion, and she was a player who could win when it mattered. She carried that confidence into the rest of her career, and it helped her to win more titles, and to become world number one again. The 2005 US Open was a turning point, and it was a moment she had waited for since she was a teenager. She had finally done it, and she had done it with a smile.

The Australian Open Win in 2011

In 2011, Clijsters won the Australian Open, beating Li Na of China in the final in three sets. It was her fourth Grand Slam singles title, and her third since her comeback as a mother. She played well throughout the tournament, and she reached the final, and she won it with a calm and a confidence that showed how much she had grown as a player. She was twenty-seven, she was a mother, and she was a Grand Slam champion again. It was a win that completed her comeback story, and it proved that her US Open wins in 2009 and 2010 were not a fluke.

The Australian Open win also showed that she could win on hard courts in different conditions, in the heat of Melbourne, against a strong opponent. Li Na was a great player, and she fought hard, but Clijsters was steadier, and she won the key points. When she won, she celebrated with her family, and she smiled, as she always did. It was a happy moment, and it was a fitting end to her comeback as a mother, before injuries began to trouble her again. She had won three Grand Slams as a mother, and she had become a legend.

My Take:

I think Kim Clijsters is one of the happiest stories in tennis, and I say that because her story is about joy. She played tennis with a smile, she won with a smile, and she came back as a mother with a smile. In a sport that is often serious and stressful, she brought warmth, and that warmth made people love her. I admire that, because it is easy to be serious when you are a champion, and it is harder to be kind and happy at the same time. She was both, and she did it for her whole career.

What moves me most is the comeback in 2009. She retired at twenty-three, she had a daughter, she lived a normal life for two years, and then she returned and won the US Open. I try to imagine what that felt like. She was unranked, she had to play with a wild card, and she beat Venus Williams and Serena Williams on the way to the title. She did it as a mother, and she celebrated with her daughter on the court. That image, of a mother holding her child and holding a trophy, is one of the most beautiful images in sport. It tells every mother that she can come back, and that she can win, and that her life does not end when she has a child.

I also admire her for the finals she lost before she won. She lost four Grand Slam finals, three of them to Henin, and she kept going. That takes a kind of strength that is easy to miss, because it is quiet. She did not give up, she did not blame anyone, and she did not change who she was. She kept working, she kept smiling, and she finally won the US Open in 2005. That win was sweet because it came after so much pain, and it proved that patience pays off. I think about young players who lose finals, and I hope they read her story. It tells them that losing a final does not mean you will never win one.

Her rivalry with Henin is another part I think about. The two Belgian girls became the best players in the world, and they played each other many times. Henin won more of the big matches, but Clijsters never gave up, and she never became bitter. She respected Henin, and she loved her country, and she was proud to be a part of Belgian tennis history. That respect is a lesson, because rivalry can become hatred, but in their case it became a friendship, and a shared pride in what they had done for Belgium.

The third comeback, in 2020, is a part I respect even though it did not bring titles. She was thirty-six, she was a mother of three, and she came back because she loved the game. She did not win Grand Slams, and she struggled with injuries, but she tried, and she gave her best. That takes courage, because it is easy to stay at home and be comfortable. It is harder to put yourself on the line, in front of a crowd, when you know you may lose. She did it anyway, and I admire her for it. It shows that tennis was not only about winning for her. It was about loving the game, and about showing her children that you can try.

I also think about her father, Lei Clijsters, and how much he meant to her. He was a famous footballer, and he taught her to be a good sport, and to respect her opponents. He died in 2009, just before her comeback, and she carried his memory with her. I think that loss made her stronger, and it made her appreciate her family more. She became a mother herself, and she understood what her father had given her. That is a human story, and it is one that many people can understand.

What I learn from her is that motherhood and a career can go together. For a long time, women in sport were told that they had to choose, that they could be a mother or an athlete, but not both. Clijsters proved that was wrong. She was a mother, and she was a champion, and she was both at the same time. That message has changed sport, and it has given hope to many women who want to have a family and a career. I think that is her greatest legacy, and it is one that will last long after her titles are forgotten.

I also learn from her that kindness is strength. She was known as one of the nicest players on the tour, and she won with kindness. She did not need to be cold or cruel to win. She won by being herself, by smiling, by working hard, and by respecting everyone. That is a lesson for young players, and for all of us. You do not have to be unkind to be successful. You can be kind, and you can win, and you can be loved for it.

In the end, I think Kim Clijsters will be remembered as the comeback queen, the mother who won the US Open, and the player who smiled her way to the top. She won four Grand Slams, she was world number one, and she became a pioneer for mothers in sport. But I hope she is also remembered as a happy person, a kind person, and a person who loved tennis and loved her family. That is a story worth telling, and it is a story that makes me smile every time I think about it.

I also think about her third comeback, and about what it taught me. She was thirty-six, she was a mother of three, and she came back because she loved the game, not because she needed to prove anything. She did not win titles, and she struggled with injuries, but she tried, and she gave her best. That takes courage, because it is easy to stay at home and be comfortable. It is harder to put yourself on the line, in front of a crowd, when you know you may lose. She did it anyway, and I admire her for it. It shows that tennis was not only about winning for her. It was about loving the game, and about showing her children that you can try.

What I learn from her is that joy is a strength. She played with a smile, she won with a smile, and she came back with a smile, and that joy made her a better player, not a worse one. We often think that a champion must be serious and cold, but Clijsters shows that a champion can be happy and kind, and still win. That is a lesson for young players, and for all of us. You do not have to lose your joy to succeed. You can keep it, and it can help you to succeed.

I also think about the 2005 US Open, and about how sweet that win must have felt after losing four finals. She had been told she could not win a big final, and she proved them wrong, and she did it with a smile. That is a lesson for anyone who has been told they cannot do something. Keep working, keep believing, and prove them wrong, not with anger, but with joy. Clijsters did that, and her smile was her answer to every critic.

What I take from her, finally, is that a mother can be a champion, and that joy can be a weapon. She won the US Open as a mother, she won it with her daughter in her arms, and she showed the world that motherhood and sport can go together. That message has changed lives, and it will continue to change lives for years to come. She is a pioneer, a champion, and a happy person, and that combination is rare and wonderful.

I also think about her Australian Open win in 2011, and about how it completed her comeback. She won three Grand Slams as a mother, and she did it with a smile, and she did it in front of her daughter. That is a remarkable achievement, and it is one that will be remembered for a long time. She did not just come back. She came back and she won, again and again, and she proved that motherhood is not an ending. It can be a beginning, and it can make you stronger, because you have a reason to fight that is larger than yourself.

Another thought that stays with me is her kindness to other players. She was known as one of the nicest players on the tour, and she helped young players, she encouraged them, and she made them feel welcome. That kindness is rare in professional sport, where players are often rivals, and where they do not help each other. Clijsters helped, and she was loved for it. I think that kindness is a strength, and it is a part of her legacy that will last as long as her titles.

I also keep thinking about her father, Lei Clijsters, and about how much he meant to her. He was a famous footballer, and he taught her to be a good sport, to respect her opponents, and to enjoy the game. He died in 2009, just before her comeback, and she carried his memory with her when she won the US Open that year. I think about how hard it must have been to play without him, and how much she must have missed him, and how proud he would have been to see her win as a mother. That loss is a large part of her story, and it is a part that many people who have lost a parent will understand. She played for him, and she won for him, and that makes her comeback even more moving.

Another thought that stays with me is her splits, and how they became a symbol of her determination. When a ball was wide, she would slide and do the splits, reaching it with her racket, and then she would get up and play the next point. It was a spectacular move, and the crowd loved it, because it showed her flexibility, her athleticism, and her refusal to give up on a point. She did it on hard courts, on clay, and on grass, and she made it look easy, even though it was incredibly hard on her body. That move is a perfect image of who she was as a player: she would do anything to reach a ball, and she would never give up, no matter how hard it was.

A third thought is about her Hall of Fame induction in 2017, and about how it recognised not only her tennis, but her comeback as a mother and the message it sent to women around the world. She was honoured for her titles, for her ranking, and for her pioneering role, and she spoke at the ceremony about her family, about her father, and about her daughter. It was a proud moment, and it was a moment she deserved. She had won four Grand Slams, she had been world number one, and she had changed the way people think about mothers in sport. That is a legacy to be proud of, and it is one that will last long after her last match.

One last thought stays with me: her smile. She smiled on court, she smiled when she won, and she smiled when she lost, and that smile made people love her. In a sport that is often serious and stressful, her smile was a reminder that tennis can be fun, and that joy is a strength, not a weakness. She won four Grand Slams with that smile, and she became a pioneer for mothers in sport with that smile, and that is a legacy to be proud of.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Kim Clijsters win the US Open in 2009 as a mother?

She returned to the tour after two years away, played as an unranked wild card, beat Venus Williams and Serena Williams, and beat Caroline Wozniacki in the final. She was the first mother to win a Grand Slam singles title in the open era.

How many Grand Slam singles titles did Kim Clijsters win?

She won four Grand Slam singles titles: the US Open in 2005, 2009, and 2010, and the Australian Open in 2011. Three of those titles came after her comeback as a mother.

Why did Kim Clijsters retire at twenty-three?

She retired in 2007 because she was tired and injured, and she wanted to get married and have a family. She married Brian Lynch and had her daughter Jada in 2008.

Did Kim Clijsters come back a third time?

Yes, she returned in 2020 at thirty-six as a mother of three, played for two years, and retired finally in 2022. That comeback did not bring titles, but she played because she loved the game.

What was Kim Clijsters’s rivalry with Justine Henin?

They were fellow Belgians of the same age who both reached world number one. Henin won many of their big matches, including three Grand Slam finals, but Clijsters beat her in other matches and the rivalry made Belgian tennis famous.

Who was Kim Clijsters’s father?

Her father was Lei Clijsters, a famous Belgian footballer who played for the national team. He died in 2009, and Kim has spoken about how much he meant to her and her career.