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Well the new yesterday did strike me! I was really surprised when I did hear the newsflash. Not only this was news in Belgium, but it appears news worldwide.
We are a talking here a former number one of the world. She is a four time grand slam winner, she won the Masters 3 times.
During her career she won 41 titles. Not to shabby!

But she didn’t excel only in the singles, but also has a pretty decent double record. She won Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the doubles in 2003. Both times with Ai Sugiyama.

So why is she coming back?

According to the press and herself she is just missing tennis and the competition. No doubt about it that she is a competition beast. She never has left tennis.
In Bree (Belgium) she has her own tennis academy. She is always present there. No just wandering around but helping at the reception, being used a sparring partner for the kids and so on. She is a busy bee!

Also she claims that here kids are now old enough to get back to the court.

But according to me, this isn’t the real reason why she is coming back! She has a big missing piece in her trophy collection. You know what she is missing?
No?
Well she is missing an Olympic medal. Her best result at the Olympics was reaching the quarter final! And I really think that this has fueled here energy to make a comeback!
She won’t win the singles at the Olympics. If she does, that would be amazing. But I do see here having a chance in the women doubles.
Currently the leading lady of the Belgium tennis is Elise Mertens, which is almost a copy of Clijsters. Even if I do hear a radio interview, she sounds a lot like Clijsters. Well Mertens did win the double at the US Open this year. She is already qualified for the double masters, so she knows how to play double.
I can see the combination of Clijsters and Mertens really having a shot at an Olympic Medal.

But I don’t think that this is the real reason behind the comeback, but for sure it will be something which she has in the back of here mind!

So is it a smart decision?

Well a second comeback never is a good idea. But the first tournament after here first comeback she did won on a wild card. At the tournament was the US Open, a Grand Slam!
It is predicted that she will be seen on the court in the beginning of next year. I do expect that Melbourne will be the first tournament she will be playing, but for sure she will get a Wild Card if she requests one. The result in here first 2 or 3 tournaments will give us a better indication, how good she still is!
It appears that she is planning this comeback already for half a year. Today a newspaper wrote that a film crew was already following here for a year!
I do think that she could easily be in the top 50 again, but it will be hard to win another Grand Slam. And she won’t be playing a lot. She will have a select program probably the ones which she can use as preparation for the big tournaments!

I really hope she does well and that she won’t suffer a lot of injuries. Because she had a lot during her first 2 careers! Regardless what will happen Belgium and Limburg for sure will support like she has never left the courts!
Now I am curious what Justine Henin thinks about all of this? Will she also make a comeback?

Cheers,
Peter