Kim Clijsters back in Belgium and Plans to Resume Training Next Week

Former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters is back in Belgium where she intends to resume training for her comeback - which was interrupted after just 2 events earlier this year - due to the global health crisis.

Clijsters remained in the United States with her husband and kids after the Indian Wells cancelation but has now returned to Belgium where she intends to re-start her training on Monday after completing the mandatory self-isolation of fourteen days. 

The Belgian will be working with her permanent coaching team - coach Fred Hemmes, fitness trainer Sam Verslegers - to set up a training program for the next period.

As of now, all tennis tournaments are suspended till 12th July. It remains to be seen if the tournaments post that will take place as per schedule or if there may be any further changes or cancellation.

Wim Fissette, the former coach of Clijsters, made an assessment of the situation for his former student. "You chase a dream, you train hard and still reach a certain level. And suddenly you have to put that aside for so many months. How will that motivation evolve? Certainly in a lockdown with three children it would be no easy task to continue to train every day. On the other hand, Kim does not train to train, but to be able to play matches. She doesn't need much to get in shape. In addition, in February she was able to see what areas she still had to work on and this period can be used to refine those things. ”

Fissette says it also remains to be seen if the Belgian would be willing to travel once the circuit does resume or prioritise her health. "Kim is someone who has always put health first. The question is whether she will actually take a small risk of traveling the world again. Of course she still has that ambition and that dream, but how far does she want to go for that?"

Clijsters played two events in her comeback earlier this year - losing in the first round of Dubai and Monterrey events to Garbine Muguruza and Johanna Konta respectively.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2SFrj4K