Former world number one Kim Clijsters [Images] plans to travel to Paris on Thursday, refusing to give up hope of competing at next week's French Open.

The Belgian, a runner-up at Roland Garros in 2003 and 2001, strained ligaments in her right knee in a warm-up event and could be sidelined from the Paris tournament for the second straight year.

"I don't have the same freedom of movement I'm used to," the 21-year-old said.

"So far, I haven't been able to run fast, do sprints or run from the left court corner to the right one.

"The running and cycling exercises did do a lot of good though, but moving across a court is somewhat different. I'll test things at the end of this week."

Clijsters injured herself in Berlin earlier this month doing the splits in an attempt to retrieve a wide ball.

She was able to resume training for the first time two days ago with her knee heavily strapped.

"The tape itself is actually slowing me down quite a lot," she told her website.

Clijsters has been unable to compete at a Grand Slam tournament since the Australian Open [Images] in January 2004 where she finished runner-up.

Having returned from a wrist injury that kept her out for most of last season, she won back-to-back titles on the hard courts of Indian Wells and Miami [Images] this year and is desperate to compete again at the highest level.

However, she is not prepared to risk another injury by rushing back too soon.

"My nephew Tim will accompany me to the French Open as my full-time physiotherapist," she said. "We'll gradually intensify training and he'll monitor everything closely.

"As soon as I experience some pain in my knee, I'll quit. Should I be able to make it, I'll start the tournament, but without taking any unnecessary risks."

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