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Tennis mum Clijsters wants to adopt a child

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Tennis mum Clijsters wants to adopt child
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Kim Clijsters says she wants to adopt a child once her tennis career is over
  • Clijsters has a three-year-old daughter Jada who travels with her on tour
  • Belgian ace hopes to win back No.1 status at WTA tournament in Indian Wells

(CNN) -- Four-time grand slam champion Kim Clijsters has revealed that her ambition is to adopt a child once her glittering tennis career is over.

Clijsters made a triumphant comeback to the WTA Tour in 2009 after a two-year break to give birth to her first child, Jada, who is now three.

The 27-year-old Belgian has won successive U.S. Open titles and claimed the Australian Open for the first time earlier this year when she battled past China's Li Na in three sets in the final.

Clijsters told the WTA Tour website that it rated as just about the hardest match of her career, but victory helped elevate her to No.1 in the rankings for the first time in five years.

She has since lost the status to Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki and the pair are set to battle for the top spot in the prestigious WTA tournament at Indian Wells in California, which started this week.

I have always said that my goal in life is to adopt so that is something that I want to start working on when I am done playing
--Kim Clijsters
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But despite her successes, Clijsters has hinted that 2011 could be her last year on the circuit and she has a plan for retirement.

"I have always said that my goal in life is to adopt so that is something that I want to start working on when I am done playing," she said.

Clijsters is accompanied on tour by her husband Brian Lynch, a former professional basketball player, and Jada.

"We have a lot of help and we travel with a big group, but I want to try and be as hands on as possible," Clijsters said.

She also revealed that she would not be encouraging Jada to follow in her illustrious footsteps when asked about her daughter's future career choices.

"Whatever she wants, but not a tennis player," Clijsters said with a smile.

"She can choose. If she wants that, but I doubt that, she is not very interested."

Clijsters will be bidding for her third title in the Californian desert with Serbian Jelena Jankovic defending the crown she won by beating Wozniacki in last year's final.