Cincinnati: Former women's world number one Kim Clijsters surprised herself with her victorious comeback to tennis -- but not her fellow players.
After a two-year break in which time she married and gave birth to her first child, the Belgian beat world number 13 Marion Bartoli of France to reach the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
"I didn't really have any expectations," Clijsters told reporters. "I just wanted to go out there and play -- I guess my mindset was a bit different.”
"I think what I did well was even when my level was a little bit up and down, mentally I stayed focussed. That's what I am really happy with."
Bartoli was stunned by the standard of play that Clijsters produced.
"Two years without playing a match -- it's pretty amazing the level she has already right now," she said. "I guess the level of play, yes, it's inside the top 10 already. I can tell you that.
"The way she was moving and hitting and her physical strength after two years without playing a match it's just amazing."
Bartoli's feelings were echoed by three members of the world's top ten.
"I think she will do top 10 for sure," French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova told reporters.
"She seems exactly the same as she was before. I think it's great she comes back and I think tennis needed somebody like this.”
"I am really excited. There are not many girls who really had a birth of a child and came back."
Major Force
Clijsters, whose only grand-slam singles title came at the US Open in 2005, topped the world rankings for the first time in 2003 and enjoyed two other spells at the top.
Since the retirement fellow Belgian Justine Henin last year, in May of last year, no player has dominated the women's game and Venus Williams believes Clijsters can be a major force.
"I think it's great. I think she's happy to be back and be here and I hope it goes really well for her," the American said.
"I think she will do well, definitely. She's a great athlete and a great competitor."
Former world number one Jelena Jankovic said it would be nice to have Clijsters back in the locker-room.
"It's always nice to see a well-known face come back again," said the Serbian.
"She was a great athlete and one of the best movers on tour. If she could be number one before, she can do it again."
Clijsters plans to play in Toronto next week and the US Open at the end of the month before evaluating her progress and planning her schedule.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 12:27