Clijsters Fit for Fed Cup
The draw is as follows:
Kim CLIJSTERS (BEL) v Jelena KOSTANIC (CRO)
Kirsten FLIPKENS (BEL) v Karolina SPREM (CRO)
Kim CLIJSTERS (BEL) v Karolina SPREM (CRO)
Kirsten FLIPKENS (BEL) v Jelena KOSTANIC (CRO)
Els CALLENS/Elke CLIJSTERS (BEL) v Jelena KOSTANIC/Iva MAJOLI (CRO)
Kim Clijsters has decided to test her injured wrist in Belgium's Fed Cup tie
against Croatia in Bree this weekend.
Clijsters, who sustained the injury last month during the Pacific Life Open,
has been selected as her country's No.1 player for the tie and will open
proceedings against Croatian No.2 Jelena Kostanic on Saturday.
"I've been playing really well, maybe better than I have ever played before,
but that's just practice," said Clijsters. "I've got no idea whether it's
going to stand up over two or three matches. If it hurts after the first match
I will stop, because they would probably rather have all of me, 100%, than
have me play injured. I just have to see how the wrist reacts."
Belgian team captain Ivo Von Aken also sprang another surprise ahead of the
first round clash, opting to play 18-year-old Kirsten Flipkens as his No.2
player, despite the fact that veteran Els Callens is ranked higher.
"I'm very excited because this is a wonderful opportunity for me," said
Flipkens, who was the ITF World Junior Champion last year, winning Wimbledon
and the US Open girl's titles. "It's a big boost for my confidence. I think I
have to thank the fact that I did so well last year because that's why I have
the chance now."
Callens is set to partner Elke Clijsters (Kim's younger sister) in the doubles
on Sunday against Kostanic and former French Open champion Iva Majoli.
Clijsters grew up in Bree and lives just three kilometres from the Expodroom
centre where the tie is being held, but Flipkens too has family links to the
area. Her grandfather came from Bree and the teenager says it's extra special
to make her home debut in Fed Cup in the city.
"It means a lot to me to be part of this team and to play at home," she said.
Flipkens will play Saturday's second match against in-form Croatian Karolina
Sprem, whose results this year suggest she could be the Croatian's
not-so-secret weapon.
Sunday's reverse singles will see Clijsters try to tackle Sprem and Flipkens
take on Kostanic before what could be a decisive doubles rubber in the fifth
match of the tie.
"I don't know much about Flipkens but I am just going to go out there and try
to play the best tennis I can," said Sprem. "I have to think about my own game."
Kostanic, too, said she was determined not to be overawed by the presence of
Clijsters, the World No.2, on the other side of the net. The pair have played
once before although Kostanic admitted her memories were sketchy apart from
one crucial fact.
"It was years ago, when I was about 13 and she was even younger," said
Kostanic. "I remember that she won, because I rang my dad afterwards and said
'I can't believe I lost to some kid.' Last year I rang up my dad and said
'that kid is No.2 in the world so I guess it's not so bad!"
The state of Clijsters wrist and the strength of the Croatian team make this
perhaps the pick of the first round ties in the 2004 Fed Cup World Group.
"A lot of people would say that Belgium is favourite but so many things can
happen and we all know how tough it's going to be. In Fed Cup it's hard to
predict what is going to happen. That's why I love playing it so much - there
are no favourites."
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