<p>Former women's world number one Kim Clijsters has retired from competitive tennis for the third time in her career, she announced on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The Belgian, a four-time Grand Slam champion, returned to the WTA Tour in February 2020, but her comeback coincided largely with the Covid pandemic and she played just five matches.</p>.<p>"I want to share with you that I have decided to no longer play official tournaments," Clijsters wrote on Instagram.</p>.<p>"I can't wait to see what new adventures will cross my path. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past two years!"</p>.<p>The 38-year-old, who won the 2005 US Open, originally retired in 2007 to start a family, before returning to the tour two years later.</p>.<p>Clijsters went on to win another three Grand Slam titles -- consecutive US Opens in 2009 and 2010 and the 2011 Australian Open -- before hanging up her racket again in 2012.</p>.<p>She struggled on her second return, though, failing to notch a match win.</p>.<p>But Clijsters, who was world number one on four different occasions, said she has no regrets.</p>.<p>"I think my determination was something as a little girl that was a huge factor," Clijsters told the WTA website. "This is something that came from my parents -- they always pushed me in believing, 'OK, what you do for your sport, you have to do it 100 percent'...</p>.<p>"And out of everything, that's probably what I'm most proud of -- that I really did that. From the moment I stepped on court and, whether it was practice or a match, I was committed. I was there to try my best."</p>.<p>Her final WTA match was a three-set loss to Katerina Siniakova at Indian Wells last October.</p>.<p>Clijsters won 41 WTA singles titles, including the season-ending Tour Finals in 2002, 2003 and 2010.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
<p>Former women's world number one Kim Clijsters has retired from competitive tennis for the third time in her career, she announced on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The Belgian, a four-time Grand Slam champion, returned to the WTA Tour in February 2020, but her comeback coincided largely with the Covid pandemic and she played just five matches.</p>.<p>"I want to share with you that I have decided to no longer play official tournaments," Clijsters wrote on Instagram.</p>.<p>"I can't wait to see what new adventures will cross my path. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past two years!"</p>.<p>The 38-year-old, who won the 2005 US Open, originally retired in 2007 to start a family, before returning to the tour two years later.</p>.<p>Clijsters went on to win another three Grand Slam titles -- consecutive US Opens in 2009 and 2010 and the 2011 Australian Open -- before hanging up her racket again in 2012.</p>.<p>She struggled on her second return, though, failing to notch a match win.</p>.<p>But Clijsters, who was world number one on four different occasions, said she has no regrets.</p>.<p>"I think my determination was something as a little girl that was a huge factor," Clijsters told the WTA website. "This is something that came from my parents -- they always pushed me in believing, 'OK, what you do for your sport, you have to do it 100 percent'...</p>.<p>"And out of everything, that's probably what I'm most proud of -- that I really did that. From the moment I stepped on court and, whether it was practice or a match, I was committed. I was there to try my best."</p>.<p>Her final WTA match was a three-set loss to Katerina Siniakova at Indian Wells last October.</p>.<p>Clijsters won 41 WTA singles titles, including the season-ending Tour Finals in 2002, 2003 and 2010.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>