The invention generally relates to a process for the preparation of water-absorbent polymer particles, comprising the process steps of (i) preparing an aqueous monomer solution comprising at least one partially neutralized, monoethylenically unsaturated monomer bearing carboxylic acid groups (α1) and at least one crosslinker (α3) (ii) optionally adding fine particles of a water-absorbent polymer to the aqueous monomer solution (iii) adding a polymerization initiator or a at least one component of a polymerization initiator system that comprises two or more components to the aqueous monomer solution (iv) optionally decreasing the oxygen content of the aqueous monomer solution (v) charging the aqueous monomer solution into a polymerization reactor (vi) polymerizing the monomers in the aqueous monomer solution in the polymerization reactor, thereby obtaining a polymer gel (vii) discharging the polymer gel out of the polymerization reactor, and subjecting a) the polymer gel to a first comminuting step, thereby obtaining at least two polymer gel strands, and b) the at least two polymer gel strands to a further comminuting step (viii) drying the polymer gel particles (ix) grinding the dried polymer gel particles thereby obtaining particulate water-absorbent polymer particles (x) sizing the grinded water-absorbent polymer particles and (xi) optionally treating the surface of the grinded and sized water-absorbent polymer particles.Linvention concerne, dune manière générale, un procédé de préparation de particules de polymère absorbant leau comprenant les étapes consistant à (i) préparer une solution aqueuse de monomère comprenant au moins un monomère monoéthyléniquement insaturé partiellement neutralisé portant des groupes acide carboxylique (¥) et au moins un agent de réticulation (¥) (ii) éventuellement ajouter à la solution aqueuse de monomère de fines particules dun polymère absorbant leau (iii) ajouter à la solution aqueuse de monomère un amorceur de polymérisation o
