Clijsters isn't a museum artifact …yet

Belgian feels the love from home country

FROM THE PROXIMUS DIAMOND GAMES IN ANTWERP – Belgium is ready for Kim Clijsters final week in Antwerp, but is Kim ready to play?

The second seed at the Proximus Diamond Games, Clijsters spent the weekend in bed with a cold, watching Belgium overcome Australia and her former fiancée, Lleyton Hewitt, in Davis Cup. “ I started feeling bad on Friday, but Sunday was the worst,” she said. “ I couldn’t train this weekend but after a 30-minute hit this morning I feel a lot better now. I always catch a cold when coming back from Australia. It’s tough coming back here with the low temperature.”

Clijsters isn’t the only elite player waylaid by a cold – Serena Williams, who was scheduled to play Bangalore, is also on her back at home in bed.

Expectations are high in Antwerp, where the Belgians would want nothing less but seeing Clijsters holding the prestigious diamond racket trophy on Sunday. Still, Clijsters did not want to speculate about a possible title run at the Tier II event.

“My first goal is to be as healthy as possible for tomorrow. I want to take it one match at a time.”

As a token of appreciation for everything Clijsters has done for Belgian tennis, organisers have put up a ‘Kimuseum’ at the event, where all the major trophies she’s won are exhibited.

“I really like the museum,” Clijsters said. “At home the trophies are just catching dust so I think it’s a good idea to have them out here.”

Clijsters will start her campaign against Olga Poutchkova on Wednesday, but could not really say much about her opponent.
“Poutchkova? I can’t remember all these names.”

The Russian won the first set in her match against Severine Bremond when the Frenchwoman retired with a back injury. Bremond held five set points on her own serve at 6-5, but Poutchkova edged out a tiebreak win.

Clijsters needs to be on her toes against the 19-year-old, who is a very powerful player.
If Poutchkova manages to work a little more on her shot selection, the world could be in for another Russian sensation in the near future.

In last year’s edition, Clijsters lost in the final against Amelie Mauresmo. The world No.3 also captured the title in 2005 and if she wins one more, she’ll take home the $1,000,000 diamond racket.

“I can’t deny I’m not thinking about it,” Mauresmo said. “But the tournament this year is also special because it’s the last time Kim is here.”

The Frenchwoman stated that she will not be calling it quits herself anytime soon.
“I’m not thinking about retirement myself. I’m experiencing the best years of my tennis life.”

GROENEFELD GRINDS TO A HALT
What’s wrong with Anna-Lena Groenefeld? The 21-year-old German ended her 2006 season with four consecutive first round losses and is now 1-4 in 2007 after falling in straight sets to French qualifier Virginie Razzano. Groenefeld is still ranked 19th but needs to pick up her game and lose some weight if she is to maintain her Top 20 status.

In the feature night match, Tatiana Golovin made light work of Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik. The Frenchwoman steamrolled to a 6-0 6-2 win and should be able to upset Patty Schnyder in the second round if she maintains her level of play.

Sybille Bammer of Austria might still be dealing with a jetlag from playing two days before in Thailand, the Pattaya City champion made no mistake against home playing wild card Caroline Maes, ranked 235. Bammer thrashed the Belgian 6-2 6-0.

In other results, Vera Zvonareva demolished American Lilia Osterloh 6-1 6-0, Elena Likhovtseva bested Vera Dushevina 6-4 6-1 and Nathalie Dechy cruised past Julia Schruff 6-1 6-1.