KIM CLIJSTERS HAS ruled herself out of the French Open in the hope she will be fit for the Olympic Games and Wimbledon.
Currently ranked at number 40 in the world, Clijsters has struggled with a hip injury this year and has not played since her third round loss to Yanina Wickmayer at the Miami Masters in March.
Clijsters revealed on her website earlier that she will not recover in time to compete at the French Open.
“My current physical condition will not enable me to go to Roland Garros in optimal shape,” Clijsters said. ”However, I cannot wait to begin the long period of preparation for the grass season, with Wimbledon and the Olympic Games my principal objectives.”
The 28-year-old Belgian expects to be back in action at the Rosmalen tournament in the Netherlands in June, which will kick-start her preparations for the grass season. Today’s statement also revealed that Clijsters’ injury restricts her ability to get on the court as she ‘will not be able to return to training with the ball for three weeks’.
“The rehabilitation process following Kim’s hip injury is going more slowly than expected,” the statement added.
