For most of her career, though, her off-court relationship with fiery Australian Lleyton Hewitt, also a former world number one, gave her more off-court publicity than she cared for.
Hewitt enjoyed the showbiz lifestyle and often courted controversy with his angry outbursts. That often left Clijsters in an uncomfortable position as she was grilled on his behaviour and felt compelled to defend her fiance.
But following the break-up of that union just weeks before their planned marriage in 2005, Clijsters has thrived on being out of the spotlight thanks to her more low-key relationship with Lynch.
Having opted not to walk up the aisle two years ago with Hewitt, Clijsters is now adamant that nothing, including a successful tennis career, will ruin her second chance at happiness.
"Time to marry. Children? Time for cooking and playing with my dogs," she said.
"Particularly a lot of time with my friends and family. No more travelling. No more stepping in and out of planes. No more having to read gossip or lies in the papers."
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