Clijsters returns to court

COMEBACK legend Kim Clijsters is shaping nicely for a US Open assault should the grand slam tournament proceed in New York next month.

The twice-retired mother of three, pictured, who has won four grand slam titles and once topped the world rankings, is a fan favourite in Australia.

A comeback initially set to start in Melbourne in January was postponed by injury and then interrupted by the COVID-19 shutdown just as it was beginning.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding global tennis, the 2011 Australian Open champion is flourishing in a popular teams event underway in America.

World Team Tennis has been around for decades but the current season has drawn several prominent names given the regular tour is yet to resume and players are keen for practice.

Clijsters has the rare distinction of being a playing legend after being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2017.

She also has the best pedigree in singles in the teams event at The Greenbrier but given her last major appearance came at the US Open in 2012, there is fascination as to whether she can reproduce her best form.

So far, so good — some aches and pains aside.

After practising in New Jersey, the three-time US Open champion is unbeaten in West Virginia, where the calibre of her rivals so far has been of the highest quality. Sofia Kenin is the reigning Australian Open champion. Sloane Stephens won the US Open in 2017. And Danielle Collins, who was sent packing from the competition for breaching COVID-19 restrictions, reached a semi-final in Melbourne in 2019.

The caveat is, of course, that an exhibition event played over a shortened set is far from the test the 37-year-old would receive in a regular WTA Tour event, let alone a grand slam.