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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 16, 2010Kim ClijstersMELBOURNE, VICTORIA THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How does it feel to be back here? KIM CLIJSTERS: It feels really good. It's obviously a lot of things have changed around, you know, the courts and everything and inside. So that took a few days to get used to everything, knowing my way around. But it's great to be back. It's nice to be out. We were here a few days early. I was able to practice on center court a little bit. It's just nice, yeah, to see that again because I never thought it would happen again, obviously to be playing tennis here. It's exciting. Q. Has your comeback form surprised you? KIM CLIJSTERS: Uhm, you know, I worked really hard to get to where I'm at. And I think in that way it's very motivating knowing that all the hard work is paying off obviously. That's the reason why you try to train hard every day and why, you know, you work hard and are motivated. That's always to have good results. I definitely have that. That didn't surprise me because I've really put in the work and the effort, so I think that will always pay off in some sort of way. But on the other hand, yeah, I'm surprised it's happened this quickly, of course, yes. Q. Given your results, was the retirement a blessing in disguise? KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, the retirement, yeah, that was my choice at the time. I never thought that I would be back so I never thought when I retired that I would be, you know, back on court playing tournaments. Maybe once in a while an exhibition here or there, but nothing in any competitive type of way. So I never expected to be, you know, playing on tour again. My mindset was never there. The two years where I was away, obviously a lot of things have changed in my life and a lot of good things have happened, and I wouldn't change it for a thing. You know, this is the decision that I chose and, you know, I got married, I have a daughter, and I would never change it for a thing. Q. Do you like this surface? Is it good for you to play on? KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, I like the surface. I remember also when I was in Brisbane, it feels, yeah, rough. It's a very rough surface. I notice it on my shoes, as well. You know, I have to get through shoes a lot more quickly than I have, let's say, at the US Open. It's a little bit, yeah, flatter there. Obviously it was a little bit, even when I was hitting on center court a few days ago, yeah, I was still used to the Rebound Ace, so it was just a little bit different again to seeing Rod Laver Arena with a different surface. So that was something, one of the changes I felt when I got here for the first time. Q. Since your US Open success, have you sort of reevaluated your goals? Your progress has been so quick. Are you looking at the top 10 or even going back to No. 1? KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I think my focus is not really based on ranking as much as probably really try to aim for the big tournaments, of course. I think my schedule for this year is far from being busy. You know, obviously I hope to do well at the tournaments. But I think I play about 15 or 16 tournaments, maybe including Fed Cups and everything. But it's something that is done with talking a lot to my coach, my fitness coaches, too, because I want to be able to peak at the right times. I think that was maybe something in the past where I maybe played maybe a few too many tournaments. I was also playing obviously singles, doing well in most of the tournaments, then playing doubles as well at a lot of tournaments. That was sometimes a little bit too much. Obviously my situation now, too, with the family, I think it's important for me also to have the life at home a little bit. End of FastScripts |
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