Post by Liam O'Reilly on Aug 22, 2006 17:45:51 GMT
Belgium's Fed Cup hopes have been dealt a huge blow with the news Kim Clijsters will miss the final with a continuing wrist injury.
The world number two has already pulled out of the US Open and now says that she will wear a brace on her wrist for the next six weeks, ruling her out of the Fed Cup final which Belgium will host in Charleroi on September 16-17.
Clijsters missed most of the 2004 season due to the wrist problem and aggravated it further when she fell over during a recent tournament in Montreal, forcing her to withdraw from the event.
An MRI exam and X-ray showed the problem was worse and now she will not return until her home tournament - the Gaz de France event in Hasselt at the end of October.
“Now that I have to miss the Fed Cup final, I hope I will be able to play in front of my own public,” she said on her own website.
“It also would be perfect preparation for the Masters the week afterward.”
Belgium were hoping that Clijsters would recover in order to partner world number three Justin Henin-Hardenne in a formidable line-up to face Italy in the final.
Without Clijsters, Belgium will play Kirsten Flipkens, ranked just 122nd in the world, against Italy who have two top 20 stars in Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta.
Belgium were big favourites to win the Fed Cup against Italy on home sopils and with Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne, but the visitors will now fancy their chances of an upset.
Clijsters has suffered shocking injury problems already despite being just 23-years-old, which is the main reason she has decided to retire in 2007 at such a young age.
The world number two has already pulled out of the US Open and now says that she will wear a brace on her wrist for the next six weeks, ruling her out of the Fed Cup final which Belgium will host in Charleroi on September 16-17.
Clijsters missed most of the 2004 season due to the wrist problem and aggravated it further when she fell over during a recent tournament in Montreal, forcing her to withdraw from the event.
An MRI exam and X-ray showed the problem was worse and now she will not return until her home tournament - the Gaz de France event in Hasselt at the end of October.
“Now that I have to miss the Fed Cup final, I hope I will be able to play in front of my own public,” she said on her own website.
“It also would be perfect preparation for the Masters the week afterward.”
Belgium were hoping that Clijsters would recover in order to partner world number three Justin Henin-Hardenne in a formidable line-up to face Italy in the final.
Without Clijsters, Belgium will play Kirsten Flipkens, ranked just 122nd in the world, against Italy who have two top 20 stars in Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta.
Belgium were big favourites to win the Fed Cup against Italy on home sopils and with Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne, but the visitors will now fancy their chances of an upset.
Clijsters has suffered shocking injury problems already despite being just 23-years-old, which is the main reason she has decided to retire in 2007 at such a young age.