BELGIUM: TENNIS - Belgium's Kim Clijsters says she is ready for her last tournament on home turf and press conference by Amelie Mauresmo of France at the Diamond Games tournament in Antwerp

Belgium's Kim Clijsters said on Tuesday (February 13) she is ready for her last tournament on home turf. The second seed said she was ready for her assault which starts on Wednesday after missing last week's Paris Open with a hip injury. "I've always felt like I kind of had something going on with my body. Last year was the ankle and then I remember you know the wrist was always a bit of a problem in the previous years," Clijsters said, adding that the hometown support always seem to take the pain away. "It's so easy when you come here - to forget about the struggles and to go out there on the court and have the support of the people .... when you have that support you just forget everything and try to play good tennis - and you do," she said. Currently ranked number four in the world, Clijsters said she will not reconsider her decision to retire at the end of the season, even if she secures this week's Diamond Games title in Antwerp. If she won, Clijsters will be entitled to return next year and attempt to win a diamond studded racket worth one million euros ($1.30 million) which is awarded for three title wins in five years at Antwerp. Clijsters won the title in 2004 and was a losing finalist in 2003 and 2006 when she was defeated by French world number three Amelie Mauresmo who is aiming to claim the racket this week. "I thought about it on my way here and I know very well that if I win I will leave with the racquet. Let's say it makes this week a little bit more spicy," Mauresmo said. The former U.S. Open champion, who faces Russia's Olga Poutchkova or Severine Bremond of France in the second round on Wednesday, said she was not thinking about Sunday's final and a scripted end to what will be an emotional week for her.

ITN Source | February 14, 2007

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