The WTA markets their brand of tennis with the catchphrase “Strong is beautiful.” While it is a fitting turn of phrase for a league of tremendous female athletes, something about the message conveyed by this slogan seemed trite after having had the opportunity to speak with Kim Clijsters.

In a day and age of athletes that show neither discipline nor respect, and there are too many examples of shocking behaviour on the part of sports stars to single anyone out in particular, the Women’s Tennis Associationis lucky to have as decent a person as Clijsters.

Strength may indeed be beautiful, but character is infinitely more so. Clijsters is quite obviously a case in point. The former world No. 1 player from Belgium has shown incredible strength and beauty of a less-celebrated variety. Clijsters exists in that rarefied air of athletes who exude kindness and humanity. She is the anti-thesis of the star athlete, the anti-diva of women’s tennis.

The Belgian’s career has been defined by fits and starts. To some, a legacy of never having really achieved consistency would be disheartening. To Clijsters, the ups and downs appear to have been essential elements of her journey through professional tennis.

What have you learned about yourself with everything that has happened in the last few years — injuries, having a child, et cetera?

How long do you have? I mean, everything that happens, negative or positive, there are things to learn from. Even with a negative, there is something positive that comes out of it. Sometimes it is hard to see in the beginning, but now that I am a little bit older, even the year where we had to take care of our dad when he was sick it was very sad. But my sister and I were so proud that we did that for him. Looking back now, the experience of that was also good for us. You know, we were so proud of that.

Those are life lessons that you cannot learn from being on a tennis court or you can’t learn from travelling from one place to another. You just don’t. It is real life and that is what makes you realize that. I am excited to play tennis and I work really hard to be the best tennis player that I can be but I don’t waste my time on stupid stuff. It is a waste of energy. And when you deal with things like that, you all want to try to be positive and bring positivity to the world that you are living in, whether it is with my family, with my daughter, with my husband, or when I am on the road. I don’t like to get caught up in negative energy because it is a waste of time.

You have mentioned in interviews that it was hard to get motivated again when you got hurt the second time.

It was just frustrating that, you know, another injury happened. When you put so much time and effort into physically trying to get in shape and to prepare for a tournament, whether it’s the French [Open]or Wimbledonand then with an injury you are not able to do that, it is frustrating. You kinda feel like all the hard work you put into it doesn’t get used, but eventually you will still be able to use it and it is another experience and you can learn from the experience.

What is your game plan in the future, especially now that you have a child?

I think my last main goal is the Olympics and then we will see where we go from there. If I want to go to the U.S. Open or, well I am not saying that I am done after the Olympics, but that is where I have set my schedule towards and where I am building towards and then we will see what happens from there. I think it is too soon to predict anything after that.

How important is it to you that you determine when your career is finally over versus letting an injury determine that?

Sometimes, if you could have it under control, that would be great. Sometimes you don’t. So it would be nice to be able to choose when you end and have your family there and have everybody there that has supported you for many years. Past coaches, family, friends, all being there, well in that way it would be nice, but if it is because of injury that you retire, well those people won’t go away — they will always be there.

You said the Olympics won’t necessarily be the end, but could your result at the Olympics — say, taking home a gold medal — play a role in your decision?

No, I don’t think so. I think it is more about a personal preference. Will I feel more comfortable saying at the U.S. Open? I have done so well there for many years, my husband’s family is there, we can have a very personal tournament there, besides all the crazy and hectic-ness we will have when we go to the Olympics. So maybe in that way I might choose to play there somewhere and to end in a smaller tournament to have a more personal experience where I can really enjoy it with my family, my friends and coaches.

As much as Kim impressed the media at the Rogers Cup, making her a sentimental favourite among writers, she would end up retiring from her opening match with an abdominal injury. After months of training and recovery leading up to the Canadian event, this most recent injury must have seemed like fate was dealing her an especially unkind blow. She would subsequently withdraw from the 2011 U.S. Open as well so that she might focus on a full recovery in time for the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

One can only imagine Clijsters’ frustration. Yet true to form, she did not miss a beat and rose to this latest challenge.

“The most important thing right now is that I should make a full recovery, so I will also drop the rest of the season,” said Clijsters. “I'll pick up training slowly and carefully and prepare for 2012, but without a specific time frame or pressure. I am now focusing on 2012, on the Olympics.”


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