Clijsters pulls out of French Open

General / Editor / 21 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

Kim Clijsters has withdrawn from the US Open but has confirmed that she will play both the singles and doubles at Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old is in her final season on the professional circuit, having announced at the start of the year that she is retiring from the sport to pursue other interests.

The former world number one has suffered with injury in recent times and is picking and choosing her tournaments this year before hanging up her racket at the end of the campaign.

Clijsters has already announced that she will not be participating in the French Open and has now revealed that she will not be at Flushing Meadows in August for the year's final Grand Slam.

The Belgian star is keen to bow out at the world's biggest tournament in Wimbledon and feels her no-show at Roland Garros will aid her performances at SW15 this summer.

She is not planning to miss the entire clay court season however and wants to "get used to clay again" in some tournaments leading up to the French Open, but will sit out the year's second Grand Slam in preparation for the grass court season.

Many pundits have questioned Clijsters' attitude during her final season, with some feeling it has become a 'farewell tour,' and her withdrawal from the New York and Paris events will add fuel to the fire of those who feel she should call time on her career now.

The Betfair French Open market is in its early stages and Justin Henin is the early favourite with the always-dangerous Serena Williams next best in the betting.

Watch out for the various Betfair tennis markets that will open up as the summer progresses with a keenly-contested Wimbledon tournament expected this time around.