Career Retrospective

Photos: A look back at the top milestones from Kim Clijsters' career

Four-time Grand Slam winner Kim Clijsters on Tuesday announced her retirement from professional tennis. She was the No.1-ranked player for 20 weeks during her career.

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Kim Clijsters announced her retirement from professional tennis Tuesday at the age of 38.

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The Belgian has had one of the most celebrated careers on tour, with 41 singles titles and 11 doubles titles.

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Since turning pro in 1997, Clijsters won four Grand Slam singles titles and reached the final of another four majors. She is also a two-time Grand Slam champion in doubles (both with Ai Sugiyama).

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Clijsters was a sensation from the start. In 1999, aged 16, she reached the Round of 16 in her Grand Slam main-draw debut at Wimbledon, won her first singles title in Luxembourg, and was named Newcomer of the Year.

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In 2003, Clijsters reached World No.1 in both singles and doubles for the first time, with the twin achievements occurring a week apart. She won nine singles titles that season, including her second consecutive WTA Finals trophy.

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Overall, Clijsters spent 20 weeks at World No.1 in singles and four weeks at World No.1 in doubles. She became the fifth woman to hold those WTA Rankings positions simultaneously, which she did for three weeks in 2003.

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Three of her four Grand Slam singles titles came at the US Open, including a 2009 triumph in just her third event back after a two-year hiatus. During that time away, she gave birth to daughter Jada.

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Affectionately known as "Aussie Kim" throughout her career, Clijsters added an Australian Open title to her collection in 2011. She defeated Li Na in the final for her fourth and last singles major.

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Clijsters' last tour match came at 2021 Indian Wells, where she lost in the first round to Katerina Siniakova. Clijsters ends her career with 523 match-wins in singles, and she earned over 24 million dollars in prize-money.

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After initially retiring from tennis, Clijsters was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017.

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