Father of Kim Clijsters dies at 52

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Lei Clijsters, the father of tennis player Kim Clijsters and a former Belgium soccer international, died Sunday. He was 52.

Derniere Heure newspaper in Belgium reported Clijsters died after a yearlong battle with lung cancer.

He played 40 matches for Belgium's national team, participating in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. In 1986, Belgium reached the semifinals.

Clijsters played defense for several Belgian clubs and captained FC Mechelen when it won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1988 by beating Ajax in the final.

After retiring in 1993, Clijsters managed his daughter's tennis career until her retirement in 2007. Kim Clijsters won the U.S. Open in 2005.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.