Kim Clijsters was spotted in a players’ box at Roland Garros this year.
Clijsters officially retired from tennis in 2022, after her third spell on the WTA Tour.
The four-time Grand Slam champion previously helped coach Sorana Cirstea at Wimbledon in 2018, but Clijsters has not committed to working with a player since then.
Despite previously admitting she had no intention to coach on a full-time basis, Clijsters appeared in the box of an American player who won their first round match at Roland Garros.
Kim Clijsters is coaching Katie Volynets at Roland Garros this year
Clijsters had previously admitted she had received many offers to coach players on tour, and it seems that she has now accepted one of those after being spotted in the box of Katie Volynets at Roland Garros.
Volynets, who is the current world number 108, won her first round match at Roland Garros this year against Clara Burel, after beating her 6-3, 6-1 on Court Simone-Mathieu.
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In the on-court interview after the match, Volynets was asked about the presence of Clijsters in her box, as she revealed that this collaboration has actually been in the works for some time.
“On Sunday, she came to watch me practice and we have been planning it since like last November maybe,” said Volynets.
“So I was really excited and I was just trying to hit the ball like her and play some patterns like her. So, I’m just really happy to have her here, it’s amazing.”
It is currently unclear as to what the nature of this partnership is and as to whether Clijsters will be in Volynets’ players’ box for her second round match as well.
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Volynets will face a tougher test in her second round match, as she takes on 15th seed Marta Kostyuk.
Kostyuk, who won the Madrid Open earlier this month, is unbeaten on clay so far this year after winning 12 consecutive matches.
Although Kostyuk will be the favorite to win this match, Volynets beat the Ukrainian in their only previous meeting on the WTA Tour.
This took place at the 2024 China Open, where Volynets beat Kostyuk 7-5, 6-3.
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Volynets will hope to repeat this result and end Kostyuk’s winning streak when they play at Roland Garros on Wednesday, May 27.
If she is able to beat Kostyuk, Volynets will reach the third round of Roland Garros for the first time in her career and cement her return to the top 100.