Four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters has been rushed to the hospital after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, sparking concern across the tennis world.
The Belgian tennis icon reportedly sustained the injury while she was competing at the Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters on Saturday evening. Witnesses say Clijsters collapsed mid-rally, clutching her lower leg in visible pain before being stretchered off the court.
Initial scans later confirmed a complete rupture of her right Achilles tendon, an injury that will likely require surgery and months of rehabilitation.
A statement from Clijsters’ team late Saturday night said the 41-year-old was “in stable condition but devastated” by the incident. The tennis player later shared a message on her Instagram page.
“Hi guys, I am in a hospital, as you can probably tell. Ended up rupturing my Achilles tendon yesterday at the event in Luxembourg, which was not fun, but I’m on the road to recovery now.
“In the next two weeks, I’ll be in this boot. Very annoying injury. Obviously, I didn’t think that after I retired, I would have a big, serious injury like this.
“But it is what it is, so I can’t wait to get to the States and be with Brian and the kids and start my recovery. For the people who knew and have been sending me lots of messages, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I was very bummed yesterday, but it’s all good now.”
