Belgium's Clijsters confirms 2007 retirement plan

BRUSSELS, Nov 14 (Reuters) World number five Kim Clijsters said again she would retire next year and scoffed at a suggestion she might play in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 23-year-old Belgian, who has been blighted by a wrist injury, said on her Web site she would select some ''nice tournaments'' for 2007 ''which will become my final year for sure''.

''One of the journalists asked me whether I plan to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games. Quite an empty question if you ask me. I've made a decision and I stick to it,'' the 2005 U.S. Open champion said.

Next year, Clijsters plans to marry American basketball player Brian Lynch, who is with her home team Bree in the east of Belgium.

She had been engaged to Australian tennis player Lleyton Hewitt but they broke up in 2004, four months before their planned marriage.

REUTERS SAM BS1943