Clijsters Retiring - Will The WTA Benefit?

As reported earlier this week, former world no.1 and 4 time slam champion Kim Clijsters is retiring after the US Open this year. Rumour has it that persistent injury is a major factor in her decision, quite similar to when Henin came back and then retired again.

My question is whether the WTA will benefit knowing that a player who can take time off and still win Slams will no longer be amongst the tour? The current top 20 boasts 8 Slam winners and despite this variety, which is long cried out for from the Mens side the WTA still struggles as a hold because there doesn't seem to be marquee names. The Williams sisters have clearly highlighted lack of strength in the womens game, but for me there will never be any like them in the game again. It is hard to see whether one time slam winners such as Stosur, Li Na or Schiavone will add to their Slam tally, but in Kvitova, Azarenka, Lisicki, Sharapova, Wozniacki and Ivanovic I think the tour has some tasty rivalries to come.

Back to Clijsters, will the WTA miss her when she hangs her racquet up this year?