Kim Clijsters
A tennis champion who redefined the comeback, winning three Grand Slam titles as a new mother after a four-year retirement.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Belgian former tennis player·Birthday: June 8·Millennials
Biography
Kim Clijsters won the US Open in 2009 as an unranked mother playing on wild cards. She emerged from Belgium with a powerful, athletic game that turned tennis on its head. Her career unfolded in two distinct acts. She first reached world number one, known for incredible court coverage and a fierce rivalry with compatriot Justine Henin, capturing her first US Open in 2005. After retiring to start a family, she stunned the sport by returning in 2009. In just her third tournament back, she won the US Open again, becoming the first mother to win a major since 1980. She followed with another US Open and an Australian Open title. Clijsters became a symbol of resilience and a new paradigm for women in sports. Her joyful, fist-pumping celebrations and gracious sportsmanship made her a global fan favorite.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Kim was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Kim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the US Open three times (2005, 2009, 2010) and the Australian Open once (2011).
- Achieved the rare feat of holding the world No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles simultaneously in 2003.
- Became the first unseeded and wild card entrant to win the US Open women's singles title in 2009.
- Earned over $24 million in prize money, one of the highest totals in women's tennis history.
- Led Belgium to its first Fed Cup title in 2001.
Did You Know?
Her father, Lei Clijsters, was a professional footballer for the Belgian national team.
She is married to American basketball player Brian Lynch, whom she met while he was playing in Belgium.
The main tennis stadium at the Sportpark in her hometown of Bree is named the Kim Clijsters Arena.
She speaks fluent Dutch, English, and French.
She won her first major title, the 2005 US Open, by defeating Mary Pierce in a final that lasted just 59 minutes.
“I don't think I'm a hero. I'm a tennis player, and a mother, and I'm trying to do both things I love.”
