Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt have broken off just four months from their marriage, the Belgian player announced today on her website. Last month, Clijsters, 21, said she would marry Hewitt in Australia in February.
“Kim and Lleyton have agreed to end their relationship for private reasons. There is, of course, no longer a question of marriage,” the website said.
The players said they did not intend to explain the break-up to the media.
Both players are former world No 1s, but Clijsters, who has won 21 career titles, has not played since last May with a wrist injury.
Hewitt, 23, lost the US Open final to Roger Federer in September. He has won 23 titles in his career including the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002.
Clijsters and Hewitt met at the Australian Open in 2000 when Kim’s sister Elke asked her to get Hewitt’s autograph and they got engaged after a romantic boat trip around Sydney harbour last December.