Kim Clijsters has confirmed her return to the tennis circuit after two years in retirement on a press conference held in her hometown today.

"It all started with preparing for the gala match at Wimbledon," Clijsters said. "It was all pretty laid back. But I liked it so much I was onto my training schedule from my pro days, and then the hunger for more came automatically. I look at this as a second career, not as a comeback, as I am now in a situation where not everything revolves around tennis 24 hours a day. We'll see how I, Jada and the others in my environment can handle this."

Clijsters said that she had further asked for wildcards for the Cincinnati and Toronto tournaments, as well as the US Open.

"I intend to play in the US Open and almost certainly in the tournaments at Cincinnati (early August)- my first official tournament back - and Tornoto," she told a press conference.

"I have been practicing on a regular basis with my training partner Wim Fissette and by physical coach Sam Verslegers, sometimes as much as six hours a day.

"The desire is back!."

And her plans after the US Open, however, depends on several factors, she insisted.

"I will have to take stock of how I manage to combine my family situation with life on the circuit - I am a mother and a wife after all," she said. "Also we will have to see how I come out of it all physically."

(photo/AFP)

Kim Clijsters confirms return to the WTA Tour