MELBOURNE, Australia — Kim Clijsters said 2011 will “probably” be her last full year on the tennis tour.
When asked Friday if the Australian Open women’s final could be her last appearance at Melbourne Park, the 27-year-old Clijsters replied, “Yeah, it is.”
“I know this is probably going to be my last full season on the tour, and then we’ll see,” Clijsters said ahead of today’s final against China’s Li Na.
Clijsters returned to the tour in late 2009 after a 2 1/2-year break, during which she got married and had a child. She won the U.S. Open in her third tournament back and has won five singles titles since her return.
Double time.
Top-seeded Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta rallied from a set and 4-1 down to beat Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the women’s doubles final.
In mixed doubles, Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan and Paul Hanley of Australia advanced to Sunday’s final with a 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 (tiebreak) win over American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Horia Tecau of Romania. Chan and Hanley will play Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Daniel Nestor of Canada, who beat Kirilenko and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia 6-4, 7-5.
