Australian Open exec says Clijsters out
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-09 16:11

Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters is not expected to play in the first Grand Slam of next year while she continues to recover from an injury to her left wrist.

Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said Thursday that Clijsters' management company does not expect her to play, and the player cast further doubt on her availability on her own Web site.

Clijsters, in the "Diary" section of her site dated Dec. 2, said she was still undergoing physiotherapy on the wrist. Clijsters had surgery in July.

"My wrist is still a crucial part of my everyday life," Clijsters wrote. "Loads of physio and recovery exercises. In two weeks' time, I need to see the doctors again and only then will I find out about the real progress.

"For the time being, we won't set a date and we'll wait until everything is healed completely."

But a change of plans could result in a late entry in the tournament, which starts Jan. 17.

In the United States, the WTA said that because Clijsters has special status as a top player, she could decide to enter the tournament at any time using a wild card. Tournament officials still have four wild cards available.

"The tour has not gotten any notification about whether Kim is going to play or not play," WTA spokesman Darrel Fry said.

But every effort would be made to include her, McNamee said.

"If she does recover in time, we would most certainly offer her a wild card," he said.

Clijsters, the 2004 Australian Open runner-up, was limited to just 22 matches this season because of the wrist and fell to No. 22 in the most recent rankings. She's right-handed, but uses a two-fisted backhand.

McNamee also said Jelena Dokic will skip the Australian Open. Dokic has not played in the event since 2001, when she lost in the first round after her father accused officials of fixing the draw. She renounced her Australian citizenship soon after.

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