BERLIN - A smiling Kim Clijsters, who breezed through her first round match in Berlin on Tuesday, said she felt in good form and happy with her performance despite playing on clay - a surface she dreads each year.
The former world number one, who is seeded 11th in the German Open claycourt tournament said: "Everything felt pretty good today... I felt like I was going for a lot of winners."
The Belgian 21-year-old, known for her cheery disposition, took just 44 minutes to beat Ukraine's Yuliana Fedak 6-1 6-0.
But she repeated her dislike of the surface at the French Open, the claycourt Grand Slam which starts at the end of May.
Asked whether her being pleased to be back outweighed her desire for the clay season to be over each year, Clijsters said: "I still think the same now.
"It is tough for me to play good tennis like on other surfaces and that is challenging."
Although she reached the final in the French Open in 2003 Clijsters said: "There was not one match that felt good.
"Maybe that is why I have the feeling it's not my best surface, but it doesn't mean I am not going to go for it."
Clijsters returned to the circuit in February after surgery on her left wrist last June and further injuries in October.
"There were moments when people were saying that I couldn't play anymore," she said, adding "things have turned out really well."
Earlier this year Clijsters won Indian Wells and Miami, the two biggest tournaments outside the four grand slams and became only the second woman after Steffi Graf in 1994 to achieve the feat in the same season.
- REUTERS
Tennis: Clijsters glad clay season over
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