• WTA Tour

Clijsters faces French Open fitness race

ESPN staff
April 5, 2011
Kim Clijsters fell at the quarter-final stage in Miami last week © Getty Images
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World No. 2 Kim Clijsters will miss four weeks of action due to shoulder and wrist injuries, with medics suggesting both joints are "clearly overstrained".

The Belgian will sit out the Fed Cup semi-final against Czech Republic later this month - but hopes to be back for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia starting on May 9, two weeks before the French Open.

Clijsters fell at the quarter-final stage at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week, losing in straight sets to eventual winner Victoria Azarenka.

"I think this is a great pity," she told her personal website. "The Fed Cup is something I was really looking forward to.

"But I felt that something was out of the ordinary. There were too many minor ailments, one after the other, which did not seem to disappear. Something like that gets into your head."

The US Open and Australian Open champion added: "I don't want to force anything, because I want to prevent it from becoming chronic by any means. I really want to be there at this year's Roland Garros.

"Now there is no other option than to rest and I certainly can't use a tennis racket for the first few weeks. We will continue with lots of physiotherapy and exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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