Bree, Belgium - Former world women's tennis number one Kim Clijsters announced Thursday her return to the WTA circuit after two years away, media in her homeland of Belgium reported.

"My hunger has come back through training," the 25-year-old told journalists in the north-eastern Belgian town of Bree, Belgian broadcaster VRT reported.

Clijsters, crowned world number one in August 2003 and winner of the US Open in 2005, retired from the professional game in May 2007 to marry and raise a child, Jada, now 13 months old.

Miami - Roger Federer re-emphasized his future commitment to tennis on Wednesday as he prepared for a start at the Miami Masters, saying the pending summer birth of his first child would not change his fervor for the game.

"I'm very excited, you know, so is (longtime girlfriend) Mirka. We're looking forward to see how it's going to impact our lives," said the Swiss second seed, who will open after a bye against US player Kevin Kim at the weekend.

Miami  - Departing WTA boss Larry Scott admitted on Wednesday that his failure to be chosen last year for the top ATP job may have indirectly contributed to his leaving the women's game to move into domestic university sports administration.

The men's position was handed to attorney Adam Helfant, a lawyer now trying to find his depth in the sport after almost three months on the job.

"There is some connection in the sense that the major accomplishments of women's tennis, I think, have put the women's tour in very good shape," Scott said.

Miami  - WTA boss Larry Scott dropped a bombshell into women's tennis on the eve of one of the biggest events on the calendar Tuesday, announcing that he will step down to move to a university athletics job in the United States.

The resignation announcement prior to the Miami Masters came less than three months after ATP boss Etienne de Villiers was forced out and replaced with a lawyer, Adam Helfant, with little experience in the sport.

Brussels  - Kim Clijsters looks set to do an about-face Thursday on the tennis career she gave up for marriage and a child, with the Belgian set to make an announcement later this week.

The 25-year-old is reportedly ready to "unveil her plans for 2009" a the club where the mother of one has recently resumed hard training.

Belgian media report that the former number 1 and 2005 US Open winner could return as early as the US Open in late summer. The Clijsters camp is keeping quiet prior to the announcement.

Madrid  - Fewer tournaments to maximize his performance: world number one Rafael Nadal's plan for 2009 is delivering results with amazing precision.

On Sunday, in Indian Wells, Nadal, 22, lifted his second trophy of the season, number 33 in his career, to win his 13th Masters. The two most important tournaments in the first quarter of the year - the Australian Open and the first Masters of the season - have been won by the Spaniard.