Kim Clijsters said she is going to plough ahead with her tennis comeback despite losing her return match 6-2, 7-6(8) to Garbine Muguruza in the opening round of the WTA event here.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Clijsters, 36, had been out of the game for seven years before the clash with Muguruza, who reached the final of the Australian Open last month, and is keen to push ahead after an encouraging display against the World No. 16 Spaniard.
“I had a good feeling out there, I felt a pace I can handle. I felt like I was able to go toe-to-toe with her from the baseline,” said Clijsters. “I wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t have that belief somehow. It might take 10 matches to get the way I played in the second set, might take me 10 matches to get that from start to finish.
“I have patience. I’m going to work my way into it and fight. We’ll see what happens.” Clijsters did not say where she will continue her comeback, not mentioning any future tournament entries after taking part here as a wild card.
In doubles, Sania Mirza and Caroline Garcia overcame the Russian-Slovenian combination of Alla Kudryavtseva and Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 4-6, [10-8].
After winning the first set, the Indo-Spanish pair lost the second before winning 10-8 in the super tie-breaker.