BRUSSELS, May 6: Former world No 1 Kim Clijsters announced her immediate retirement from tennis on her Web site on Sunday.

Clijsters, 23, has struggled with injury over the last few years and had said this season would be her last. The Belgian former US Open champion, who is getting married in July, had already pulled out of the French and U.S. Opens.

“It has been more than great. The rackets will be hung up,” Clijsters told her web diary.

“It would be easy to go on for a few more months and go to the four big earners in tennis,” Clijsters wrote.

“Money is important but not the most important thing in my life. Health and private life are more important.

Clijsters said last week she did not want to risk getting injured again and having to wear a cast at her wedding to American basketball player Brian Lynch.

But she added then she planned to play at Eastbourne and Wimbledon in June.

Sunday's announcement means the Belgian played her last tournament in Warsaw last week, where she was defending the Warsaw Cup but looked short of form and lost in the second round to Ukrainian qualifier Julia Vakulenko.—Reuters