MELBOURNE, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Doctors said Thursday that tennis star Kim Clijsters will miss the next two months because of a torn ligament in her right ankle.
The soon-to-be World No. 1 suffered the injury during her semifinal match against Amelie Mauresmo at the Australian Open. The injury forced Clijsters to retire from the match.
She had to be helped off the court and later underwent an MRI.
"The scan showed a torn anterior ligament, which means I'll be absent for at least eight weeks," she told reporters at Melbourne.
The untimely injury comes the same week when it was announced Clijsters will take over the WTA's No. 1 spot from Lindsay Davenport when the new world rankings are released on Jan. 30. In 2005, Clijsters was hampered by a wrist injury.
Davenport fell out of the top spot after a loss to Justine Henin-Hardenne in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
