Kim Clijsters flashes a smile during her exhibition victory Wednesday against Venus Williams in Belgium, her farewell match. Clijsters retired this year.(Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, AP)
Story Highlights
- Kim Clijsters said farewell Wednesday with an exhibition win against Venus Williams
- Clijsters retired this year after the U.S. Open
- She organized the event, attended by 13,000, to say thanks to her fans
3:25PM EST December 12. 2012 – ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters ended her career with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Venus Williams in a ceremonial farewell match in Belgium.
Clijsters retired after the U.S. Open but organized a match to thank her fans, 13,000 of whom turned up at Antwerp Sports Palace, including Crown Prince Phillipe and Princess Mathilde.
In the lighthearted encounter, Clijsters was destined to win but still wowed the crowd with the play that made her famous before injuries added to her retirement at 29.
Clijsters beat Williams on the way to her last two U.S. Open titles, in 2009 and 2010, and she held a 7-6 edge over the American on the WTA Tour. She also won at Flushing Meadow in 2005 and earned the 2011 Australian Open crown.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
