Melbourne: Five tournaments. Two titles. One grand slam. Not a bad return for someone who had not played tennis for two years before coming out of retirement.
That someone, however, happened to be Belgian former world number one Kim Clijsters.
As if winning last year's US Open title in her third tournament back was not enough for the tennis world to take notice, she made sure it sat up straight with last week's victory in the Brisbane International final over Justine Henin.
Henin, playing her first competitive tournament since ending her own retirement, and Clijsters produced some sublime tennis as the fortunes of the match fluctuated back and forth for almost two-and-a-half hours.
Clijsters eventually prevailed 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 and then issued a warning to the rest of the women's field for next week's Australian Open -- the Belgian pair are back and they mean business.
"I think with the level that we both played today I think we are both capable of getting back into the top 10," Clijsters, 26, told reporters after the Brisbane final.
"The level was so high. It's fun to play in a big match when you are both playing good tennis and that's what it's all about.”
"I think we set the bar very high for the rest of the year."
Close Calls
The bar for the year's first grand slam needs to go only one notch higher for the 15th seeded Clijsters.
In her last five appearances at Melbourne Park, she has made four semi-finals and one final.
The twice US Open winner decided she needed to adopt a new attitude and approach to training, travelling and playing in 2010.
She now trains more intensely to fit around daughter Jada's schedule, has cut the number of tournaments she plans to play, and travels with husband Brian.
Clij sters indicated that it may just be the key to help her clear that final hurdle to claim the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
"I have never really played my best or been 100 percent fit going into the Australian Open since maybe 2003," she told the tournament's website after practising on Rod Laver Arena.
"(I'm doing) quite a few things (differently), I think that's why I'm calling this a second career and not a comeback.”
"I have the benefit of all that experience before but travelling with my husband, daughter and a brand new team is totally different.”
"I'm loving that challenge. I think I have a different perspective now on the court after being away for so long and everything I experienced while I was away."
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010, 17:53