She won the US Open three tournaments into the comeback by taking out both Venus Williams and Serena Williams. She won the tournament again in 2010 – making it her third US Open overall with a win in 2005, the year before her first retirement.

Then in early 2011, it looked like Clijsters was settling in for a nice run at the top when she won the Australian Open for the first time and ascended to the number one ranking.

But her body betrayed her shortly after that and the Belgian star has suffered through a series of injuries that have kept her off the tour for long stretches and sent her ranking all the way down to number 44.

To no one’s surprise, Clijsters has just announced that she will be retiring for the second time after this year’s US Open. She will give herself a chance to win two of the three major titles that elude her: Wimbledon, and The Olympics. She is skipping the French Open where she was twice the runner-up but never the champion.

Clijsters, 28 and the mother of a young daughter, said Flushing Meadows is the ideal place for her to end her playing days.

“That is where I enjoyed my greatest triumphs and it is a very special place for me,” she said. “The stadium is only about 45 minutes away from our house in the United States and my parents-in-law will be able to be present.”

She can certainly leave the game this time more fulfilled with her accomplishments. No longer an under-performing champion with just one slam victory, she will leave at the very least a four-time slam champ and is a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

Nadal, 25, won the tournament in Rome for the sixth time. It is the 49th title of his illustrious career and clearly establishes him as the favorite heading into next week’s French Open where he will be trying to win his seventh title.

Djokovic has now lost to Nadal twice this year after defeating the Spaniard seven straight times including in the finals of the 2011 US Open and Wimbledon and the 2012 Australian Open.

Nadal had dropped to number three in the rankings behind Roger Federer when he lost early at last week’s Madrid Open which Federer won. But Djokovic beat Federer in the semifinals of Rome before losing to Nadal 7-5, 6-3.

Djokovic is still firmly number one but he has not been the dominant force so far in 2012 as he was a year earlier when he opened the season with a 43-match winning streak. The loss to Nadal was his fourth of the year.

It is the 74th singles title of Federer’s stellar career and the win gives him just enough points to overtake Rafael Nadal as the world’s second-ranked player heading into the French Open later this month.

”It is amazing to win here again,” said Federer. ”It has been a tough tournament. Tough to move, but you’ve got to try to make the most of it. Here there was some good tennis and some bad tennis, but you see that in all tournaments.”

Federer has won seven out of the last nine tournaments he has played since his heart-breaking loss to top-ranked Novak Djokovic at the US Open last September in which he had two match points.

Nice to see the Swiss superstar, 45-3 since that US Open loss, undaunted and determined to add more titles to historic resume!

Actor Will Smith participated in the post-match presentation and his Men In Black III co-star Josh Brolin was in the stands. But on this day, it is Federer who was the biggest star of all.

Roger Federer, winner of a record 16 grand slam singles titles, still wants more.

The former number one begins play at the Madrid Open this week after more than a month off from the game.

“I am excited to be back after a long off-season, but I needed it after playing so, so much,” Federer told reporters Sunday. ”I have put myself in a good position if I do win a Grand Slam for the world number one.”

”I know how hard it is to win (a major championship),” he added. “But it is a dream for me to achieve it this year. I will chase it as hard as possible.”

Federer, currently ranked third behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, has won three titles so far this season but his last grand slam triumph was at the 2010 Australian Open. He made it to the finals of the French Open last year (beating Djokovic but losing to Nadal) then lost to Djokovic in the semifinals of last year’s US Open after holding two match points.

You hear so many whiny players make excuses for dips in form and all the rest but Nadal just goes out and plays. If he loses, he regroups and he tries again.

He went nearly a year without winning a title, lost his number one ranking to Novak Djokovic, and suffered seven consecutive defeats to Djokovic – including in the finals of Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open.

Less than that drove the great Bjorn Borg in to retirement 30 years ago. But Nadal, at 25, keep showing up – despite nagging injuries.

He managed to finally beat Djokovic again winning the title in Monte Carlo last week. Then earlier today, he beat David Ferrer in the final of the Barcelona tournament which he won for a record SEVENTH time.

It marked the 48th tournament title of Nadal’s illustrious career. He will be going after his seventh French Open crown next month and 11th grand slam title overall. But expect strong challenges from Djokovic and Nadal’s great rival Roger Federer who remains as passionate about the game – and winning – as Nadal. Only Federer and Djokovic have ever managed to beat Nadal in a clay court final.

Time Magazine has unveiled its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Among them is the world’s number one tennis player. Below is what was written about him in the issue:

Novak Djokovic became the world’s third-ranked tennis player on July 9, 2007. For the better part of the next four years he was the sport’s top doormat. First Roger Federer and then Rafa Nadal would regularly wipe their feet on him en route to major titles; nine times they stomped him in Grand Slam events.

Djokovic’s renowned sense of humor — he’s a great mimic of his fellow pros — must have helped him. But while he yukked it up, he also upped his training regimen and refined his exquisite baseline shotmaking. No one has a more lethal backhand down the line. He got mentally tougher too. Last year Djokovic reached No. 1 in dominating fashion, winning at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and dispatching both nemeses. He started 2012 by beating Nadal in a five-set, nearly six-hour epic for the Australian title. “It’s the result of the really hard work that I put into it,” says Djokovic, 24, now a national hero in his native Serbia.

Djokovic’s tennis hero is Pete Sampras, a serve-and-volley maestro who spent a record 286 weeks as top gun. Djokovic recognizes that the game today is different — more baseline power and speed, less touch. And with Nadal and Federer hounding him, staying No. 1 will be difficult. But having worked for years to get there, he’ll enjoy every moment of it.

In the mid-90s, Jennifer Capriati was off the tennis tour surfacing in the press only in unfortunate incidents like being arrested for shoplifting and marijuana possession and having her mugshot plastered around the world.

She had been a teenage sensation making the semifinals of Wimbledon and the US Open and winning the Olympic Gold Medal over Steffi Graf all before her 18th birthday.

Then it all went away. She rebelled, left the tour and floundered. When she tried to come back in 1996, the results were mixed at best.

But in 2001, she not only reached her former heights, she surpassed them when she won the Australian Open and the French Open and ascended to the number one ranking in a sport that had left her for dead. She won the Australian Open again in 2002.

She retired in 2004.

”Tennis has been my passion and dedication for my entire life, and to be acknowledged for this passion and dedication is truly icing on the cake,”  Capriati said in a statement. ”Finally, to all of my fans: You mean so much to me. I am, and have always been, blessed beyond words by your support both during and after my playing days. You unquestionably made this game so memorable for me and I miss you all so much.”

Capriati’s election was announced Friday, joining a 2012 class that includes Gustavo Kuerten (pictured below with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer), Manuel Orantes, Randy Snow and Mike Davies.

She won the Family Circle Cup earlier today over Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-1.

Williams also was happy to honor the 40th anniversary of the Family Circle tournament and the legacy of women’s tennis. The tournament named its stadium court for tennis great and pioneer Billie Jean King, who was on court during Williams’ trophy ceremony.

King and members of the Original 9 players, who defied the tennis establishment to form the first women’s tour and fight for better prize money, were given a well-deserved salute.

“I want to thank, Billie,” Williams said. “Without her, I don’t know if any of us would be here.”

With her 40th title, Williams moved one away from Kim Clijsters among active players on the career list. Venus Williams leads with 43 championships.

Williams earned $115,000 for the victory, a far cry from the first Family Circle in 1973 — won by Rosie Casals (pictured with King) — that offered a then-unheard of $100,000 in total prize money.

King and eight other players broke away from the tennis establishment in 1970, eventually leading to the Women’s Tennis Association and an era where female athletes could demand equal pay and conditions on the courts. The “Original 9″ were reunited for just the second time over the weekend.

“I get all the kudos, but the eight players here did just as much or sometimes more,” King said.

They all signed $1 contracts in 1970 with the publisher of World Tennis Magazine, Gladys Heldman, to begin a series of women’s professional tournaments.

“We had no idea that this little dollar would turn into millions,” Casals said Saturday.

The WTA tour was formed in 1973, and now players travel to countries around the world and benefit from millions in prize money.

King recalled going to Heldman’s home regularly to discuss what would come next.

The group — King, Casals, Nancy Richey, Kerry Melville, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Judy Dalton, Valerie Ziegenfuss and Julie Heldman — stepped out on a limb, King said, by signing the contracts. (They are pictured then, and now!)

King said officials of what is now the USTA called her, asking not to form the women’s tour. There were threats of bans from Grand Slam events.

“It was a very difficult time,” King said. “But we figured it out.”

To have three Hall of Fame greats – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – hungry and battling it out for the big titles is a rarity we haven’t seen this consistently since Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg made up the top three.

On Sunday, Djokovic reaffirmed that he is the best of bunch right now with a straight set win over fourth-ranked Andy Murray in the final of the Sony Ericcson Open.

Djokovic, who won his third Australian Open title in January, improved to 20-2 this year and 90-8 since the start of 2011. He also won the 2011 Wimbledon and US Open titles during that stretch.

“I’m playing at the peak of my form … the best tennis that I have played,” Djokovic said. “I have to use that as much as I can.”

While Djokovic seems certain to add to his five grand slam singles titles this year, Federer has been playing extremely well the past six months and badly wants to add another slam title to the record 16 he has already won. Meanwhile, Nadal will be aiming for a seventh French Open title in June and 11th slam crown overall.

There’s a lot of history being made and I’m enjoying every minute of it!

Martina Navratilova will have to be content with her nine Wimbledon singles trophies because she won’t be adding the Dancing With the Stars mirror ball trophy to her collection of prizes.

The mighty Martina was the first celebrity to be elimination from the competition this season after a poor performance this week doing the jive.

I was afraid this would happen but at least I won’t have to watch the show anymore this season without any LGBT contestants remaining. I reserve the right to check out sexy William Levy’s performances on YouTube though!

“It was an amazing experience,” she said of her short stint on the show. “I just wish it had lasted longer. I gave it everything I had, but I blew it [Monday].”

While Martina’s Fox Trot last week and Jive this week failed to impress judges – or viewers it turns out – the show did give people the opportunity to see just how glamorous Martina can be when she wants to be.

The third-ranked Roger Federer began the night 40-2 since the U.S. Open, while Andy Roddick’s ranking had slipped to 34th, his lowest point since 2001.

But on Monday, Roddick was able to serve out their third round match at the Sony Ericsson Open to win 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4.

It was only the third victory for Roddick in 24 meetings with Federer.

“There is no script in sports, you know. I think that’s what makes it the best entertainment in the world,” Roddick said after the match. “Nights like tonight are why you play the matches. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Federer, who has beaten Roddick in three Wimbledon finals and a US Open final, was gracious in defeat: “I feel like I lost against a former No. 1, not that I lost against a guy ranked 30 in the world. I’m happy to see Andy play really well. He’s a great champion, and enjoy him while you have him. It was a great night for him and America’s tennis.”

It’s more than just a recap of his recent triumphs. We see how gifted he was from the beginning and what he and his family went through when Serbia was being bombed for 78 days and nights.

“It made us tougher, more hungry for success,” he says of the ordeal.

Of last season’s 41-match winning streak, the champion said: “I’ll remember it as the best six months I ever had.”

Do you like Rafael Nadal’s hair slicked back like this?

I think it looks pretty darned sexy.

This is Rafa during a press conference at the Sony Erricson Open where he is competing with top rivals Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and others for the title.

While Nadal is ranked number two in the world and was runner-up at the Australian Open in January, he was not won a tournament since last June!

Yup, not a single trophy held aloft since beating Federer in the French Open final.

Federer, who has won six out of the last eight tournaments he has played, has made clear his desire to get back to number one and is fast approaching Nadal in the rankings.

Watch out Rafa!

Well, Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez have shown, once again, that they are a winning pair by taking the doubles crown at the BNP Paribas Open for the second time in three years.

“We are very close friends so it makes things more easy,” said Nadal. “Our styles of game are closer in doubles than with different partners because we feel comfortable from the baseline, we feel comfortable having some tactics from the net. Just enjoying the doubles for me is very good practice. I’m able to practice the volley, the return, and at the same time, I practice competing.”

It had to be satisfying for Nadal after losing his singles semifinal to great rival Roger Federer on Saturday. He and Lopez beat the American team of Sam Querry and John Isner 6-2, 7-6. For Isner, it was his second losing effort of the day – he had lost the singles final to Federer earlier in the day.

One of the three has been ranked number one every week dating back to January 2004 and since Wimbledon 2005, only one other man – Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open – has managed to win one of the sport’s four grand slam titles.

Federer, winner of 16 grand slam singles titles, was relegated to number three in the world last season – his lowest ranking since 2003. But he is storming back and has made clear he wants to reclaim the top ranking. He needs just two more weeks at the top in order to surpass the record of 286 set by Pete Sampras.

Earlier today, Federer beat John Isner in the final of the BNP Paribas Open. He became the first man to win one of the year’s biggest tournaments four times and pocketed a whopping $1 million first prize.

It was also his third tournament victory of 2012, his sixth title in his last eight tournaments played, and overall 73 career title.

“It’s been a tough tournament for all of the players with a lot of sickness,” Federer said in a courtside interview, referring to the viral infection that forced eight withdrawals in the first week. “I’m happy I survived the early rounds to give myself a chance. I couldn’t be happier.”

Meanwhile, the player who held the number one ranking for much of the past two years was Caroline Wozniacki who couldn’t manage to win ANY of the grand slam tournaments making it to only one final back in 2009.

It seemed like the women’s game was due to rehaul its ranking system and desperately needed something, or someone, to come along and rescue it from this chaos.

Someone has arrived and her name is Victoria Azarenka!

She won the Australian Open in January and took over the number one ranking in the process from the struggling Wozniacki. But instead of choking away the ranking under the newfound pressure, Azarenka has just kept on winning including a 6-2, 6-3 victory earlier today over Maria Sharapova in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

It is Azarenka’s fourth tournament victory of the season and her 23rd consecutive win. She has had the best start to the year for any player since Martina Hingis won 37 straight in 1997.

“I never dreamed about that,” Azarenka said of her perfect start to the season. “It’s amazing. I just really focused on every match at a time. I’m not thinking too much ahead.”

At 22, Azarenka is at the peak of her powers and her attractive appearance should help reignite the women’s game should she be able to continue her dominance.

Half-Pint is, of course, Melissa Gilbert who proved to be pretty gritty herself during the four years she was president of the Screen Actors Guild. I was covering the unions then for the LA Daily News and will never forget the time I was having breakfast with Melissa at Jerry’s Deli in Woodland Hills and in walked Marion Ross from Happy Days who brought her own flowers for her table.

Melissa and I stopped by on our way out and I was introduced to the woman Fonzie always called Mrs. C. It was like being at the TV Land Awards!

So I’m thrilled that Federer was able to beat his great rival earlier today in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open.

The 6-3, 6-4 victory by Federer was his 10th in their 28-match rivalry and first since beating Nadal last November in the ATP Tour Finals. Nadal beat Federer in their first match of 2012- a four-set victory in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

“I had a no-lose mentality,” said Federer, who has been sick with a cold during the tournament. “I didn’t expect myself to play so well, and this is sometimes when you can pull off the biggest wins of your career. That’s where I’m happy I gave myself a chance this week.”

Federer will play for the BNP Paribas title tomorrow against John Isner, the American star who upset top-ranked Novak Djokovic 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. He will be seeking his third tournament victory of 2012.

1) Olivier Rochus. He’s been ranked as high as #29 in the world but this Belgian hunk is currently at #48.

He won the 2004 French Open in doubles and has recorded several wins over far higher-ranked players including Novak Djokovic.

I could have sat and watched him practice all day but there were other men to stalk watch!

2) French star  Richard Gasquet drew a nice crowd of spectators as he practiced. He’s much more attractive than I realized so I very much enjoyed watching him work on his forehands, backhands and return of serve.

The 25-year-old is currently ranked #16 but has climbed as high as #7 and made it to the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007.

3) Juan Martin del Potro is the 2010 US Open champion who has come back from nearly a year off the tour to return to the top 10.

The Argentinian hunk is just 23 and capable of beating anybody in the world.