[情報] Clijsters to cut back on doubles

看板NED-BEL-LUX作者zerkchu (zerkchu)時間22年前 (2004/01/05 23:56)推噓0(0推 0噓 0→)

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※ [本文轉錄自 Tennis 看板] 作者: zerkchu (zerkchu) 看板: Tennis 標題: [情報] Clijsters to cut back on doubles 時間: Mon Jan 5 23:43:06 2004 Clijsters to cut back on doubles Monday January 5, 06:12 PM Kim Clijsters will reduce her doubles schedule as she chases an elusive grand slam singles title this year. The former world No.1 said cutting back on her workload would ensure she had more energy at the business end of the four most prized tournaments on the tennis calendar. Clijsters, now ranked second, has failed to win a grand slam despite making three finals - French Open in 2001 and 2003 and last year's US Open. "I am going to play a lot less doubles this year," she said after routing world No.19 Daniela Hantuchova 6-1 6-2 at the Hopman Cup in an impressive opening to the year. "At a few of the grand slams it made me really tired at the end of the weeks," she said. Clijsters is an accomplished doubles player having won 11 titles, including two grand slams, to accompany her 19 singles titles. The move is a clear indication of how important a breakthrough singles grand slam is after some near-misses. She made the last four at every grand slam tournament last year but was well beaten in the French and US Open finals by compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne. Clijsters also suffered the ignominy of letting slip a 5-1 lead in the third set in her Australian Open semi-final loss to Serena Williams. She said the losses had motivated her to focus even harder at training with speed and footwork being top priorities. "Yes, definitely I came pretty close a few times last year and that is what I was training for in December, that I could be fit enough to give myself another chance to get far enough in the grand slams," she said. She felt she learnt plenty from her spell as the top-ranked player in the world in 2003. "Yes definitely, definitely it has been very pleasant. But a very learning experience as well - life all of a sudden gets a lot more hectic when you are No.1," she said. "But it was actually a very nice experience." Clijsters earlier sounded a warning to her Australian Open rivals with her clean-hitting and excellent court coverage against an errant Hantuchova. The 20-year-old was aided by Hantuchova's inconsistent performance in which she recorded 34 unforced errors to Clijsters' 10. The bubbly Belgian surprised even herself with her clean-hitting and excellent court coverage before her team swept the Slovak Republic at the mixed teams event. "I did not think I would start the year like this. I was practising pretty good but not feeling as good as I did out there and it is a nice sign to take into the next round," she said. Her enigmatic teammate Xavier Malisse warmed up for his clash with Lleyton Hewitt with a 6-2 1-6 6-1 win over Karol Kucera in 92 minutes. "It was the first match (of the year). I was going to be a little rusty but that is why we have all these matches to get things under control," he said. Clijsters and Malisse completed Belgium's opening tie with a 6-2 6-4 win in the mixed doubles rubber. -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 203.219.101.22 -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 203.219.101.22