AP

Belgium, Mar 27: Former world number one Kim Clijsters will come out of retirement to play on the WTA tour, the Belgian said on Thursday. 

"I have asked for wildcards for Cincinnati, Toronto and US Open, that's all for the moment. I want to see if I can still do it," Clijsters said at her home town of Bree.

The 25-year-old Belgian retired in May 2007 before marrying basketball player Brian Lynch and giving birth to a daughter.

She has been training in at the tennis centre in Bree, north of Brussels in recent weeks. Clijsters, US Open champion in 2005, won 34 singles titles and held the top ranking for a total of 19 weeks.

She announced last week that she would compete in the World Team Tennis event in the United States later this year and would also take part in a special event at Wimbledon in May, alongside Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi and Tim Henman.

US Open organisers have already said they would grant her a wildcard for the final grand slam of the season.

"When I started preparing for the Wimbledon game with Steffi Graf I felt this drive. I wanted a new challenge. This is just for fun for now to see if I can do it," added Clijsters.