Mothers know what’s best for them, says role model Clijsters
LONDON: At first sight the tattoo on the inside of Kim Clijsters’ left wrist does not seem like a sign of how busy life can be for a tennisplaying mother. It reads ‘Jada’ - the name of her first born.
Only problem is Clijsters is now a mother- of-three and by the time her sons Jake and Blake came along, she simply had no time to indulge in getting some more body art inked to her wrist, or anywhere else for that matter.
“I’ve been tattooed out,” the Belgian told Reuters with a laugh as she sat on a balcony overlooking Wimbledon’s Court 14.
So do the boys make an issue of this apparent snub by mum?
“They don’t but Jada does. She feels very happy as she thinks she’s the special kid.”
As a curly-haired 18-month- old toddler, Jada melted hearts as she ran around on Arthur Ashe Stadium in September 2009 but her presence also celebrated the fact that Clijsters had just become the first mother to win a Grand Slam title since 1980.
Clijsters went on to lift two more major trophies and she remains the only mother to have claimed any of the four slams over the past 38 years.
However, expectations have been g rowing t hat Serena Williams may be about to join that club as she chases a recordequalling 24th Grand Slam crown after returning from a year-long maternity break.
The fact that Clijsters triumphed at Flushing Meadows in only her third tournament back or that in 2008 Lindsay Davenport was winning WTA titles three months after giving birth to her son Jagger Jonathan through an emergency c- section has perhaps skewed expectations about the comeback process.
Aged 26 at the time, Clijsters was a much younger mother on the circuit than the 36 - year- old Williams, who is only contesting her fourth tournament af ter su f fering a series of complications during childbirth last September.
“Serena knows what she has to do to get back to her best level. Nobody else knows. Not even ( her coach) Patrick ( Mouratoglou),” explained Clijsters, who won three of her four slams after the birth of Jada.
“Patrick knows what she has to do to be the best tennis player, her fitness coach knows what she needs to do to get back into the shape she was in before she had her baby.
“But only Serena knows all the details. The mental side of things, nobody can get into your head. That’s only her. She’s so strong to do all those things but it takes time.”
When Clijsters came back, she would often touch base with Davenport, who was part of her support network. She also had access to the WTA’s travelling troop of physiotherapists, massage therapists, medical advisors and psychologists who could help her in whatever way she needed.