Final farewell for retiring Clijsters

FORMER world No 1 Kim Clijsters ended her career with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Venus Williams in a ceremonial farewell match yesterday.

Clijsters retired after the US Open – scene of three out of her four major titles – but organised a match to thank her fans, 13,000 of whom turned up at Antwerp Sports Palace, including Crown Prince Phillipe and Princess Mathilde. In a lighthearted encounter, Clijsters was always going to come out on top but still wowed the crowd with the kind of play that made her famous before injuries got the best of her at 29.