Kim Clijsters and the US Open - An incredible love story

Kim Clijsters is a legend in tennis, having won the singles title three times at the US Open. Let's explore how the Belgian became a favourite at Flushing Meadows.

Clijsters was born in the Belgian city of Bilzen on 8 June 1983 to well-known former Belgian footballer Lei Clijsters and Els Vandecaetsbeek.

Her father Lei won the Golden Shoe for the best Belgian footballer in 1988. Upon winning, he had promised to have a tennis court installed for Kim, and so he did.

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Clijsters was already taking tennis lessons and soon got the bug. As a youth player, she was a major talent.

In the juniors, she made her mark at the biggest tournaments of all. Clijsters won the French Open and the US Open in doubles and reached the Wimbledon singles final.

In 1997, Clijsters made her debut on the pro circuit. In the ITF tournament in the Belgian coastal town of Koksijde, she immediately reached the quarter-finals as a 14-year-old.

In 1999, the barely 16-year-old Clijsters made her debut at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon. She made an immediate impression and reached the fourth round, losing in two sets to tennis great Steffi Graf (pictured).

That same year in Luxembourg, Clijsters cliched the first WTA tournament win of her career.

Belgium had now really got to know Clijsters, and this earned her instant recognition. She was named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year in 1999, an award she would win eight times in total.

In 2000, Clijsters did not progress past the second round at the Grand Slams, but in 2001 she forced her big breakthrough.

Clijsters excelled at the French Open, becoming the first Belgian to reach a Grand Slam final. In the semi-finals, she defeated Justine Henin (pictured), that other major Belgian tennis talent.

In the final, Clijsters faced American Jennifer Capriati. The two put on a real thriller, which ended 12-10 in Capriati's favour in the third set.

Clijsters' final heralded a golden era for Belgian tennis, with Belgium winning the Fed Cup later that year - spurred on by Clijsters and Henin - by beating Russia in the final.

After 'minor' tournament victories, Clijsters finally struck in late 2002 by winning the Masters in Los Angeles by beating the invincible Serena Williams in the final. Clijsters would also win the Masters in 2003 and 2010.

2003 was an excellent year for Clijsters, who reached at least the semi-finals at all Grand Slams. In the final of the French Open and the US Open, she lost to Henin, but in August she became the first Belgian world No.1 ever. At the same time, she also excelled in doubles, winning the French Open and Wimbledon and topping the world rankings.

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Clijsters then continued to chase her first Grand Slam singles win. In 2004, she made it to the final of the Australian Open, but once again compatriot Henin was too strong. What's more, injury kept her off the tennis court for a long time that year.

In 2005, it finally happened for Clijsters. After having lost four Grand Slam finals in her career, she added the US Open to her record that year.

In the final, Clijsters defeated France's Mary Pierce (pictured): 6-3, 6-1.

In the following years, Clijsters had to deal with a lot of injuries, which prompted her to make a drastic decision ...

In 2007, Clijsters decided to end her career for the first time. Belgian tennis fans were saddened by the farewell to a national legend.

That same year, Clijsters had reasons to celebrate on a personal level. In July, she got married to (ex-)basketball player Brian Lynch. On 26 February 2008, the pair had a baby daughter, Jada. Two more children followed later.

In early 2009, she suffered a heavy blow when her father Lei died at the age of 52 after a lingering illness. But Clijsters did not take it lying down.

After an intense period, she announced in March 2009 that she would return to the pro circuit, with her first official tournament being Cincinnati.

Clijsters also participated in the US Open that year and immediately surprised by advancing to the final with a wildcard, where she faced Danish Caroline Wozniacki (pictured).

Clijsters swept aside Wozniacki in two sets to win her second US Open. She was also victorious at Flushing Meadows in 2010, where she always seemed to feel good.

Clijsters would win a total of four Grand Slams in her career, the last of which was in 2011, by beating China's Li Na in three sets in the final of the Australian Open.

In 2011, Clijsters wrote tennis history. She had already become the first mother ever to win the US Open, but now became the first mum to be ranked No. 1 in the world.

In 2012, Clijsters reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at the London Olympics. In December that year, however, she retired from tennis for the second time.

Clijsters distanced herself from the sport for years, until 2019, when she announced her second comeback.

This time, without success, however. Injuries and the coronavirus epidemic threw a spanner in the works, after which Clijsters stored away her tennis racket forever in 2022.

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Despite her failed comeback, Clijsters remains a living tennis legend who is regarded as one of the best players of her generation, which is only underlined by her impressive record.