WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2002

Kim Clijsters

KIM CLIJSTERS: Oh, well, yeah, of course, I watch the TV, as well. I've won matches there last year as well when I was seeded. I don't worry about those things at all.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, it felt pretty good today. I just played an opponent today who played better than me and made less unforced errors. I know today like I had a lot of chances to break in the first set and had some set points, was up in the tiebreaker. I didn't take those chances. You know, if you want to beat these players, you have to be there when you get those chances and you have to take them. I didn't take them. She played good at some of them, but I made some unforced errors on some of them, as well.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, it's always disappointing to lose a tennis match. Doesn't matter if it's the French, Wimbledon, Rosmalen. Any tournaments, I hate to lose. Like I said, it doesn't matter how big the tournament is. But, you know, I know this year, like it's going to be tough for me, you know, because I don't have a lot of match rhythm. Especially like in these big tournaments, the first rounds are going to be tough. I don't have like a lot of match rhythm, it's going to be tougher for me to win those matches easier and cruise through the first few rounds like I did last year. But it's a challenge, I think, and it's something that I have to, you know, work on like for the rest of this year until I have some more time off, you know, to rest my shoulder and my arm, and then we'll see next year.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No. I mean, the doctors gave me a few options when I went -- like when they diagnosed my problem. And surgery was probably the last one they suggested, I think, you know, because they couldn't promise me that that was going to help either. I don't want to take a risk of let's say being a year out and not being fully recovered afterwards. But for the moment, my shoulder feels okay. It just depends. It's just a matter of, you know, like having the match rhythm and the practice that I can't do as much as I was doing last year like for the rest of my life I've done. I was always the type of player who was practicing a lot more on the court than, let's say, I was in the gym. I did a lot more work on the court than maybe other players.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, it's something that I chose for, you know, at the beginning of this year. And it's tough, you know. But I know for me this year is going to be a very tough year. I mean, I didn't make the decision one, two, three. I had to think about it for a few weeks. But, I mean, I played some good matches this year, in Miami, Indian Wells. Indian Wells I lost to Dechy. In Miami I played some good matches. You know, it comes and goes. I think that's what makes it tough at the moment.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I think it would be more frustrating if I would be out for six months, sitting at home, you know, doing nothing. That would be more frustrating for me, I think. I like to travel and I like to play tennis. And tennis is still a hobby. You know, like two players come on the court, one has to lose and one wins. You know, it's tough. I mean, I don't like to lose at all. But, you know, those like little details can make a difference sometimes.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I think the level in my tennis at the moment.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No. Well, that comes and goes sometimes (laughter).

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, no. I mean, I'm not going to. That's why I don't want to risk to make my shoulder worse. It's tough. I have to find a good balance between playing enough, having enough rest and practicing enough. And that's why I think it's -- it's a challenge, you know, to find a good balance. It's hard, you know, because, like I said, I'm the type of player who needs a lot of matches and maybe not as much practice. It's tough if you don't have a lot of matches before going into a tournament. It's tougher, you know, to have your rhythm in those first rounds.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I have. I mean, I've pulled out of a few tournaments already this year. I didn't play Antwerp after the Australian Open, didn't play in Scottsdale before Indian Wells. You know, I've already played less tournaments than I had planned. You know, if you lose a few first rounds, it's probably easier for me, you know, to enter a tournament. Let's say, if I do well in one of the American tournaments, maybe I have to pull out of one of them. That's why it's so tough for me, you know, to like put a schedule that I know that I'm going to play for sure. That's why it makes it hard.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I know -- I don't know like -- with Martina, I know the problem is her foot. I don't know if it happened at once or if it's coming from a long, long period. That's what I don't know. I know with my shoulder, I know it can get better. Even with resting, it's nice you suggest me to rest, but I also have to, you know, be able to -- I mean, the doctor says, "Well, you have to keep the blood going through and keep having everything, like you have to be able to play, as well." Like I said, the balance between play and resting is just something that I have to -- it's like a scale. It's something that I have to look for.

KIM CLIJSTERS: It would be great, I think, to see. But it's something, you know, that I think it's not up to me to make a comment about it, I think.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I do. You know, I've always like -- even if I was playing the under-14 tournaments, when I was watching my sister, I always get nervous. You know, it's nice to be able to watch her tennis. But I get nervous, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Like if you see the Rochus brothers, it's always -- it would be great to be able to be in the same draw, seeing her do well and everything. But I don't know playing her. It would be nice. I mean, I would definitely want to play like with her in the doubles or something. But you don't want to play -- especially me, I don't really want to play my younger sister.

KIM CLIJSTERS: You know, always, it's a totally different match, I think, to be able to. But I wish. I hope she would do -- I wish she gets that far, you know, to get into the main draw of the Slams. Yeah, I mean, I would love it.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, not really, I think. You know, she comes to the net often. I mean, she's a very good doubles player. I don't know what she is ranked at the moment in Juniors in doubles. But she's Top 5, I think. She mixes her game a little bit. I don't think she hits the ball as powerful as me. But, you know, she's -- yeah, I mean, she's got a good game, I think.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I mean, I don't know if we would be a good team or not. We actually won an under-14, international under-14 tournament together once in Belgium. I don't know. I think we both would get pretty pissed at each other. If one throws the racquet, I would tell her, "Don't throw your racquet." She would get pissed at me. You know, the sister-sister relationship.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, she doesn't. Sometimes.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah. I mean, you know, when she started to play a few of those Sanex WTA tournaments, like the 100,000 in Belgium, it's all new for her. She doesn't know all the details that are going on. Of course, I helped her a little bit, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: It's hard to say. I mean, I would love to play with my sister. But it's hard to say. I don't have a brother. I'm not a boy, so I don't know.