The second reappearance of Clijsters: defeat in Dubai against Muguruza seven and a half years later

The Belgian, 36, had received an invitation in Dubai, but nothing could be done before the last finalist in Melbourne (6-2, 7-6 (6))

The expected return of Kim Clijsters monopolize all the attentions in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, but Garbie Muguruza won the triumph (6-2, 7-6 (6)). The Belgian, 36, played his first game since August 29, 2012 and could not contain the game of the recent Australian Open finalist, much faster and more resistant from the bottom of the track.

The 10 double fouls, for a total of 23 unforced errors, weighed too much on the champion of four majors. Exactly 2,728 days after his defeat against Laura Robson in the second round of the US Open 2012, Clijsters only had some option in the second set, when he almost took advantage of one of Muguruza's usual lows.

The Spanish, with 3-0 favorable after two service breaks, was surprised by the power of Clijsters, who did not seem to take its toll then his notorious weight gain. However, Muguruza knew how to channel the situation and remain calm in the tiebreaker.

“Improve more and more”

“I played very well, especially at the end of the second set,” Garbie admitted. “It was very fought, a fun game to play,” added the tennis player from Caracas, who continued his journey in the emirate with a second round duel against the Russian Veronika Kudermetova or the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

In the opinion of the winner, Clijsters has “tennis to spare” to continue on the circuit. “I am sure that we will improve more and more, surely we will have many problems”, concluded about the winner of 24 titles of the WTA and 11 ms of doubles, with more than 24 million dollars in profits.

In 2007, with just 24 years, the Belgian had hung the racket for the first time and shortly afterwards gave birth to Jada, her first daughter. His return in 2009 allowed him to raise two US Open (2009, 2010) and an Australian Open (2011), but in 2012 he left the circuit again. During these seven and a half years she has been the mother of two other children.