Brussels, Oct 01: World no. 1 Kim Clijsters might not defend the Filderstadt tournament title next week because of a sprained ankle, and risk losing her top ranking.
On her web site Monday, Clijsters said she would definitely have to play with a taped ankle for the rest of the season. She sprained her right ankle during the Sparkassen Cup semifinals in Leipzig on Saturday, and was forced to abandon her match against Russia's Anastasia Myskina.
Clijsters, hotly pursued by fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne in the world rankings, will need to rest for several more days before resuming light training.
"A new assessment will then have to show how bad the injury is. I can only hope my participation in the Filderstadt tournament is not in danger," she wrote.
Whatever doctors decide, Clijsters said she would have to play with a taped ankle for the next two months because a recurrence of the injury "would be much worse".



Clijsters won the Filderstadt title last year, and a no-show would leave the door open for Henin-Hardenne to take the top ranking. Clijsters leads the WTA rankings with 6,579 points, with Henin-Hardenne closing in on 6,291.



If Clijsters is still injured for the Filderstadt event, Henin-Hardenne could become no. 1 by reaching the final in Germany.



Henin-Hardenne would then be the third no. 1 this season, after Serena Williams had to relinquish the honour to Clijsters because of left-knee surgery in August.



Clijsters became the first player to take the no. 1 ranking without having won a grand slam title. Henin-Hardenne has already won the French and US Opens this year.


Bureau Report