Clijsters readies for showdown at Garden

Kim Clijsters returns to New York for the first time since her US Open victory to face Ana Ivanovic in a four-player exhibition Monday night for the Billie Jean King Cup at Madison Square Garden.

Serena Williams, who Clijsters beat in that final, had to withdraw from their matchup because of a leg injury.

"It's always disappointing when such a great champion pulls out," Clijsters said Monday at a news conference before the exhibition. "I'm sure she would have loved being here. I'm hoping she gets better and that we'll be able to see her in Miami."

It's been six months since their US Open semifinal and Williams' infamous tirade against a line judge after she was called for a foot fault near the end of the match. Clijsters went on to win the US Open title in just her third tournament back from a two-year retirement and giving birth to her daughter, Jada.

The other one-set, no-ad semifinal features Venus Williams against Svetlana Kuznetsova, with the winners playing a best-of-three final for $1.2 million in prize money.

Venus Williams is coming off victories at the clay-court Mexican Open on Saturday and the Dubai Championships.

"I'm just going to try to make a quick adjustment back to hardcourts again," Venus said. "Flip-flopping surfaces, which is never that easy, but I'm up for the challenge."

It's been 10 years since Clijsters played at the Garden at age 17 and reached the quarterfinals of the tour championships. She's since married Brian Lynch, a former basketball player. They travel with Jada and attended a Knicks game Saturday on Jada's second birthday.

"It's the first time for me to be in New York with snow, and we are just enjoying it as a family," Clijsters said of the recent 21-inch snowfall in Central Park. "Last night, we took a carriage ride with Jada through the park.

"We did it during the Open, but it's just nice to see it with the snow now, people ice skating. It was different, a little more relaxing."

King, who attended the inaugural showdown last year and did TV commentary, is unlikely to attend Monday night because she is recovering from a recent double-knee replacement.

"While my heart and mind are with you for this great event, my body is still recovering from the double-knee replacement I underwent just a few weeks ago," King said in a statement.