Other players news

Clijsters to return in Gaz de France

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain rallied past ninth-seeded Jelena Kostanic of Croatia 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 Monday at the Gaz de France Stars, where Kim Clijsters will make her comeback this week from a five-month injury layoff.

Clijsters, formerly ranked No. 1, has a first-round bye and is to play Wednesday in the indoor tournament in Hasselt, near her Belgian hometown. She is seeded second behind U.S. Open finalist Elena Dementieva of Russia.

``I am very eager to finally play again in competition, especially in my own country,'' Clijsters wrote on her Web site.

In other matches, third-seeded Elena Bovina of Russia defeated Carolina Maes of Belgium 6-1, 6-1, and Denisa Chladkova of the Czech Republic defeated Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 6-1, 6-4.

Clijsters has been sidelined since May when a wrist injury forced her to withdraw from the German Open. She needed tendon surgery and missed the U.S. Open. Her ranking dropped to seventh after she reached No. 1 in August last year.

Clijsters has been training two to three hours a day but is not in top form.

``I am pretty tired,'' she said. ``I don't manage to control the backhand completely because it is a bit stiff still,'' she wrote. ``The wrist itself is even less flexible, even after an extended warmup. ... My service and forehand are OK.''

Tournament doctor thinks Clijsters' injury could threaten career

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters' latest left wrist problem is a new injury that is expected to end her season but probably won't require surgery.

She'll have tests this week, her Web site said. Clijsters returned to the WTA Tour last week after five months off because of the wrist, but she quit in pain during her semifinal at her hometown Gaz de France Stars tournament.

That tournament's doctor told a newspaper that the latest injury could threaten Clijsters' future in tennis.

``This injury can mean the end of her career,'' Bruno Willems said, according to Monday's edition of De Morgen. ``Let's be straight: This is a drama for Kim. I hope she comes back, but I'm pessimistic.''