Clijsters poised to make comeback

Former world number one Kim Clijsters will hold a news conference on Thursday when she is expected to announce her return to professional tennis.

The 25-year-old Belgian retired in May 2007 and married basketball player Brian Lynch before giving birth to her first child in February last year.

Lindsay Davenport has revealed that Clijsters asked her advice on travelling the circuit with children.

Belgian newspapers claim Clijsters will return to top-level tournaments.

Clijsters was runner-up twice at the French Open and once at the Australian Open, reached two Wimbledon semi-finals, and won the US Open in 2005.

606: DEBATE She certainly has the game to give the current crop some trouble Stuart

Journalists have been invited to the northern Belgian city of Bree for a press conference on Thursday when Clijsters will "unveil her plans for 2009".

"For six or seven weeks Kim has trained here regularly, up to three hours per day," said a spokesman for Bree tennis club in Het Belang van Limburg.

"And I don't think that she does that only for exhibition duels. She seems fit, I don't think she is far from her best form."

Speaking last week, Davenport said: "Kim sent me an email with questions about how to travel and live with a child on the WTA circuit, so I think she will play tournaments."

And Clijsters' former coach Carl Maes admitted he would not be surprised if the Belgian did make a comeback.

"When she stopped I never said it would be the last time we would see her on the tour," he said.

"I think it's too early to tell but, somewhere in the back of her mind, it must be something that she's considering.

"If she's fit and wants to play then I think it's a possibility. I wouldn't be completely surprised."

Clijsters will play alongside Tim Henman, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi in a series of exhibition matches to test Wimbledon's new Centre Court roof on 17 May.

She is also scheduled to play an exhibition at the Ordina Open in Rosmalen against Michaella Krajicek on 14 June, as well as two matches for the St. Louis Aces in the World Team Tennis league during the summer.

On confirming her retirement in May 2007, Clijsters said: "Time to marry. Time for children? Time for cooking and playing with my dogs. And particularly a lot of time with my friends and family.

"No more travelling. No more stepping in and out of planes. No more having to read gossip or lies in the papers."