Australia’s own comeback queen, Alicia Molik, says it’s not surprising Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin have returned to add extra spice to world tennis.
All three, aged between 27 and 28, will be restarting careers or continuing early steps back when the 2010 Brisbane International starts on Sunday.
Molik, now ranked 198th in the world after two years off, likened their respective breaks to long service leave.
“I guess a lot of us have played for so many years that it’s no different to anyone else in another job – 10 years of the same occupation you are deserving of long-service leave and I think that’s pretty much what a lot of us have had,” she said.
“It’s hard to stay at the top of your game mentally, physically all the time. I think it’s great we have the Williams sisters [Serena and Venus] leading the game and now to have Kim and Justine back I think it’s amazing.
“We only now have to wait for Amelie [Mauresmo] to announce her comeback for the French Open, maybe in May, that will top it off,” she smiled.
The Brisbane International’s show courts on Wednesday morning resembled comeback central as Clijsters, Henin and Molik all slugged it out in practice.
While Clijsters swept back to win the US Open after having a child and Justine Henin thinks she can return from retirement better than ever, Molik is happy to take small steps.
The former world No.8 has given herself the achievable goal of staying inside the top 100 in 2010 to ensure she plays all four grand slams.
“The difference between Kim and myself is that she was No.1 or 2 in the world when she retired I was a fraction down the rankings from that,” she said.
“But she was at her best when she left the game and it came as no surprise that she’s consistently beating the best players in the world.”
Clijsters is the top seed by virtue of her August triumph at Flushing Meadows but Henin and Molik, planning to stay true to her attacking instincts, are wildcards that rivals will hope to avoid when Saturday’s draw is held.
“I think every single girl in the draw will be watching and dreading the fact they may have to play Justine first round because she’s the ultimate professional, Molik said.
“She would have prepared, I imagine, just for this event. I’m even excited to go out and watch Justine. I think it’s brilliant for women’s sport.”
Molik, who is coaching herself at present, rated the Brisbane tournament as probably the most important of the summer for her, especially being match-ready after a heavy second-tier challenger campaign around the country.
“I think it’s really important to get a good start and show you’re fit and ready and playing good tennis, she said.
“I’m on track. I had to start from scratch, from zero again. I wasn’t on the radar, I wasn’t even on the rankings list.
“I’ve had a lot of tennis, lot of matches and that’s probably something that my opponents a lot of the girls from around the world haven’t seen.
“But I’ve been progressing week after week and month after month.”