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http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/08/18/usa.kim/
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Kim Clijsters will be unable to defend her U.S. Open title due to wrist injury she sustained at the WTA event in Montreal on Wednesday.
The Belgian fell awkwardly on her left wrist in a match against Canadian Stephanie Dubois and an MRI scan has revealed that the injury is more serious than originally thought.
A statement on her personal Web site said that Clijsters will be sidelined for up to two months.
The US. Open, which Clijsters won in such thrilling style to claim her first grand slam title, starts on August 28.
A prolonged absence would also rule her out of Belgian's Fed Cup final on September 16-17 against Italy.
"Because of the injury, Kim will not be able to play in the next few weeks (probably two months out of action) and will therefore have to withdraw from the tournaments she was supposed to play," the posting on her Web site said.
World number two Clijsters missed most of the 2004 season after hurting her left wrist and having surgery on it in June of that year.
Her career has been blighted with a series of ankle, knee and back problems and she has cited injuries as one of the reasons why she plans to retire in 2007, despite being currently only 23.
She arrived at last year's U.S. Open as the player considered by many to be the best currently on the WTA Tour never to have won a grand slam title.
Clijsters had come close previously, finishing as the runner-up at four majors, including three out of four during one stretch.
But she enjoyed two special weeks at Flushing Meadows, beating Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova en route to the final, where she overwhelmed Mary Pierce 6-3 6-1.
Clijsters is 36-9 this year with two titles and had been showing encouraging form during the U.S. hardcourt season, losing to Sharapova in the final of the preceding San Diego tournament.
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Kim Clijsters will be unable to defend her U.S. Open title due to wrist injury she sustained at the WTA event in Montreal on Wednesday.
The Belgian fell awkwardly on her left wrist in a match against Canadian Stephanie Dubois and an MRI scan has revealed that the injury is more serious than originally thought.
A statement on her personal Web site said that Clijsters will be sidelined for up to two months.
The US. Open, which Clijsters won in such thrilling style to claim her first grand slam title, starts on August 28.
A prolonged absence would also rule her out of Belgian's Fed Cup final on September 16-17 against Italy.
"Because of the injury, Kim will not be able to play in the next few weeks (probably two months out of action) and will therefore have to withdraw from the tournaments she was supposed to play," the posting on her Web site said.
World number two Clijsters missed most of the 2004 season after hurting her left wrist and having surgery on it in June of that year.
Her career has been blighted with a series of ankle, knee and back problems and she has cited injuries as one of the reasons why she plans to retire in 2007, despite being currently only 23.
She arrived at last year's U.S. Open as the player considered by many to be the best currently on the WTA Tour never to have won a grand slam title.
Clijsters had come close previously, finishing as the runner-up at four majors, including three out of four during one stretch.
But she enjoyed two special weeks at Flushing Meadows, beating Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova en route to the final, where she overwhelmed Mary Pierce 6-3 6-1.
Clijsters is 36-9 this year with two titles and had been showing encouraging form during the U.S. hardcourt season, losing to Sharapova in the final of the preceding San Diego tournament.