Kim Clijsters

Kim Clijsters IPA {{IPA|/k?m kl?ist?rs/}} {{Audio|Nl-be kim clijsters.ogg|listen}} , (born on June 8, 1983, Bilzen, Belgium) is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Belgium. She achieved that ranking on 11 august, 2003 but subsequently lost it to fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Trademark Move

Kim Clijsters is often written off by critics as "too nice", although she smacks her groundstrokes with authority and defends as if her life depended on it. In response to critics' complaints, she famously replied, "You don't have to hate your opponent to beat them." Upon defeating Maria Sharapova, Sharapova commented that Clijsters always forces her to "hit that extra shot." One of her trademark movements on the court that makes a Clijsters match so enjoyable to watch are her split squash shots. She hacks downward on the racket with an open face, creating a vicious underspin which neutralizes a ball. She owns this technique by doing a split on the courts as she executes this superb defensive tactic. The technique doesn't necessarily allow for her to reach further, rather, it dissipates her momentum and allows her to make a quick recovery towards the center, thereby preventing the court from being opened up and giving her more time to take the next ball.

Related Topics:
Maria Sharapova - Squash shots

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