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Clijsters fit for French Open challenge

Kim Clijsters has won three Grand Slam titles since coming out of retirement in August 2009.
Kim Clijsters has won three Grand Slam titles since coming out of retirement in August 2009.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Kim Clijsters confirms she will play at the French Open after recovering from injury
  • World number two damaged ankle ligaments at her cousin's wedding in April
  • The reigning Australian Open champion has twice been runner up at Roland Garros
  • The 2011 French Open begins on Sunday in Paris

(CNN) -- World number two Kim Clijsters has confirmed that she will play at the upcoming French Open after recovering from injury.

The 27-year-old Belgian announced on her official web site that she would take her place in Paris for the second Grand Slam of the year after successfully overcoming an ankle injury.

The reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open champion strained two ligaments at her cousin's wedding in April and was forced to pull out of Belgium's Fed Cup semifinal against Czech Republic but has declared herself fit after resuming training earlier this month.

Clijsters confirmed she will play at Roland Garros with her ankle taped up. The tournament begins on Sunday.

"Increasingly I am going for it," she told her official web site. "I am not totally without pain, but the strong tape round my ankle gives me sufficient security.

It feels great to be back playing again - I really missed it
--Kim Clijsters
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"The advantage is that I still have the spirit of the past Grand Slam tournaments. If I play well, I can win. Attitude is very important, even though the situation is physically very different."

She added: "It feels great to be back playing again -- I really missed it.

"We will leave for Paris on Wednesday because I want to get in some useful practice on the clay courts.

"Everything is going well. I am hitting the ball well. I still feel a little bit of pain in the ankle, but I have a tight bandage on it and that helps me."

Clijsters has struggled on clay in the past but has twice been a runner up at the French Open.

She has claimed back-to-back U.S. Open titles in addition to her January triumph at Melbourne Park since coming out of retirement in 2009. Clijsters had initially ended her career in 2007 in order to raise for first child.