Hewitt, Clijsters split up
October 22, 2004
KIM CLIJSTERS tonight stunned the tennis world by announcing her break-up with
Lleyton Hewitt, just four months before their scheduled wedding.
The news that the four-year relationship was over was released on Clijsters' of
ficial website www.kimclijsters.be.
The site said the pair didn't intend on explaining the break-up to the public.
"Kim and Lleyton have agreed to end their relationship for private reasons. The
re is, of course, no longer a question of marriage," her official website said.
Clijsters, 21, said last month she would marry Hewitt, 23, in Australia in Febr
uary and the Belgian had often spoken about relocating Down Under because of th
e heavy taxation in her homeland.
Former Davis Cup player and respected commentator John Alexander said he was sh
ocked by the news and hoped it was just a hiccup.
"It is sad because Australian tennis fans have come to love Kim and I think we
will continue to, just as we do with Lleyton," he said.
"They are both very young and it is a long road and they might find their way b
ack.
"It is a stressful time for them trying to arrange a wedding, having to appease
family members and having two lots of arrangements in Adelaide and Belgium.
"And the frustration she must have felt since not being able to play because of
her wrist injury and something has broken under the stress.
"I have never seen two people more in love and being so generous to each other.
"Let's just hope it is a hiccup and they get over it but if not, we wish them w
ell."
Both players are former world No.1s, but Clijsters, who has won 21 career title
s, is struggling with a wrist injury sustained in May.
Former Wimbledon and US Open champion Hewitt, 23, lost the US Open final to Rog
er Federer in September.
He has won 23 titles in his career including the 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledo
n titles.
Clijsters and Hewitt met at the 2000 Australian Open as teenagers when Kim's si
ster Elke asked her to get Hewitt's autograph and their relationship soon bloss
omed.
Clijsters quickly became known as "Aussie Kim" and endeared herself to the Aust
ralian public with her pleasant nature.
The couple was engaged after a romantic boat trip around Sydney Harbour last De
cember.
The relationship with Clijsters softened Hewitt's brash image which was tarnish
ed in his early tennis days by his petulant behaviour.
However, Hewitt was still generally uncomfortable showing his softer side in pu
blic while Clijsters was much more at ease talking about their relationship.
Clijsters reached No.1 in August 2003 without winning a major title, having los
t in the finals of four Grand Slams.
Hewitt's management company Octagon were not returning phone calls tonight.
AAP
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