Right after winning her first Australian Open title, Kim Clijsters started thinking about – and preparing for – the French Open.

The two-time runner-up, who last played on the red clay of Roland Garros in 2006, was looking forward to getting another chance to finally lift the trophy in Paris.

“All my workouts that I was doing with my trainer were all kind of with the clay season in mind, and we were doing longer intervals, kind of knowing that the rallies would be a little bit longer,” Clijsters said after advancing to the second round. “Everything was kind of set already on this event a few months ago.”

But then, in April, she injured her right ankle dancing at her cousin’s wedding, putting her participation in doubt.

The injury didn’t appear to affect her much, however, because Clijsters passed her first test by beating Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus 6-2, 6-3.

Clijsters said she was excited to make it back to Roland Garros, where she made the final in 2001 and ‘03.

“My buildup has been weird, but it’s been everything with my mind focused on trying to make it to the French Open,” Clijsters said. “And when you’re here now, yeah, you kind of just want to keep focusing and finish off on what I worked on in those few weeks.”

But Clijsters nearly didn’t make to Paris at all.

She hurt her ankle while dancing barefoot at the wedding and hadn’t played a competitive match since.

“It feels steady and good. So it’s important now when I get back to the hotel that I ice it a lot and that I take good care of it, and I will have treatment,” Clijsters said. “Then tomorrow just make sure I keep mobilizing it so that I don’t get more inflammation than I have already.”