Brussels, April 21:

Kim Clijsters will not play at the US Open, making Wimbledon the last Grand Slam tennis of her career.

The fourth-ranked Belgian will also play doubles at Wimbledon, which starts June 25, in case of an early exit from the singles. “That way, I would be able to stay a bit longer at my last Grand Slam tournament,” Clijsters said. She has not yet decided if it will be mixed or women’s doubles.

After losing to Li Na of China in Key Biscayne last month, Clijsters complained about a bad back and has found it tough to resume training. “The will is not fully there yet, but I want to get used to clay again,” Clijsters said ahead of her next appearance at the J&S Cup in Warsaw, where she is the defending champion. The tournament starts April 30.

Clijsters already pulled out of the French Open because of preparations for her wedding with American basketball player Brian Lynch on July 14 in her hometown of Bree. In all, the former top-ranked player could limit herself to about six events before bowing out at the WTA event in Stuttgart from October 1-7.

Clijsters, 23, has been battling injuries for much of her career, and increasingly so over the last few years. In 2006, a left wrist injury prevented her from entering the US Open to defend her title, and from playing in the Fed Cup final.

This year, Clijsters won her 34th career singles title in Sydney and reached the Australian Open semi-finals, only to return home with a sore hip. She dropped out of the Gaz de France event to be fully fit to play at the Diamond Games in Antwerp where she lost to Amelie Mauresmo in the final.