Clijsters Aces Tough Tennis Schedule

Kim Clijsters walked into her press conference Thursday and made a big statement: "I'm here to announce the end of my second career ...

"Just joking."

No, she didn't end it. Instead, she probably lengthened it. What she did was declare her independence from the grueling tennis schedule that once left her burned out mentally and physically.

It's a schedule that seems impossible to master, and leaves too many players trying hard and wearing out. Serena Williams has lasted for years, but has done it by trying only during majors, then lacking the attitude of a champion the rest of the year.

Those can't be the only choices.

Just back from a 2 1/2-year retirement/maternity leave, Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open earlier this month, said she's going to play just one more tournament this year, and then a limited schedule next year based around the majors.

"A No. 1 ranking is not what I focus on," she said. "It would be nice, but Grand Slams are the big thing."

This is the right idea -- and I think other top players will follow -- no matter what it does to the regular events on the WTA Tour.

A conflict is coming, as the tour has tough rules to protect itself, but women are falling off left and right.

Clijsters has already been burned out before by focusing every thought on tennis year round. She cannot do that again.

And if you've followed anything I've said before about Williams, you might be calling a foul now. I've ripped her for focusing only on majors, for not having won a non-major in over 500 days.

For not showing respect to the tour.

Now I praise Clijsters? Here's the difference:

A true champion does not go on a court, or any field, willing to lose. Williams claims to be the best in the world, but then loses over and over in non-majors.

Just watch: Clijsters will give her best every time she plays.

But scheduling is an unavoidable problem for the tour, which has tried to make adjustments but needs to keep re-examining the demands it puts on players.

When you watch a U.S. Open defined by top players falling apart emotionally, well, it seems that at least part of the problem is structure.

Clijsters threatens to make the non-majors even less important, and the regular tour will have to fight a battle of relevancy. But in the end, having good players last longer can only be a good thing.

I would rather Clijsters play a good, full 20 tournaments. But that's why she took time away in the first place, why the game almost lost her for good.

She didn't announce specifics of her schedule, but is expected to be in only 14 or 15 events. Maybe that's truly all she has to give.

Serena, because she's a strong, smart, talented, independent, beautiful woman with a strong persona, can be bigger than Tiger Woods, though you've never seen him on a golf course doing anything but trying to kill.

But if she has decided she can't try all year long, that she'll burn out, then maybe she should just cut down her schedule, too?

That's what I was thinking Thursday until an industry official told me to look at her schedule from 2008.

She already has cut back AND she won't try hard.
She played just 13 tournaments last year. This year, she's at 14, including one in Marbella, Spain that offered little prize money and few computer rankings points. Unless we're talking about appearance fees or sponsor demands, that one is baffling.

She lost in the first round there to Klara Zakopalova.

Look, scheduling is very confusing. I mean, why doesn't Williams just play the four majors every year and nothing else?

It's not that easy.

Tour regulations force players to compete in 14 big events with little flexibility. The top 16 figure into your ranking.

And basically, if a player doesn't show up, she's going to get a big fine and also be stuck with a fat zero averaged into her ranking.

Williams, or any other player, would be fined all year long, and her ranking would likely drop so low that she wouldn't be seeded in majors. That could mean a tougher draw in the tournaments she cares about, the majors.

That's no excuse for Williams. The solution cannot be showing up without trying just to skip town without having put a beating on her body.

It's a nice little deal the tour has come up with to make players show up everywhere, but it's too tough.

No. 1 Dinara Safina, who played 21 tournaments last year, is already in mid-meltdown. Recent No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, who has the game and supermodel looks to be a hugely-marketed star, cannot even toss the ball for her serve anymore, as her mind is revolting from the grind.

Justine Henin, who retired while No. 1 last spring because of the beatings her body had taken, announced this week she's coming back.

If she's planning to do the same things as before, then this comeback won't last.

Clijsters' statement was big because she's saying that tennis cannot be the one and only in her life anymore. She's married and with a baby daughter, Jada, who will travel along.

"We have to see how it will work out as a family," Clijsters said. "Things have to remain fun for Jada. I will take it season-by-season."

It will be interesting to see how that works. If Clijsters doesn't meet the requirements, she'll be fined and have difficulty keeping a high ranking.

And she'll have a life playing tennis, traveling the world, still making millions and spending time with her family.

Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com