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Home , 2010 WTA Tour, Kimiko Date, Li Na, Peng Shuai

NOVEMBER 22, 20 DAILY PAGE 11 End in sight for Date Krumm JAPANESE VETERAN LOSES MARATHON MATCH, HOPES SHE STILL HAS ANOTHER SEASON IN HER

By TANG YUE CHINA DAILY

GUANGZHOU — Forty-year- old Krumm, who returned to professional tennis in 2008 after a 12-year layoff from the sport and returned to the top 50 this season, said next season is likely to be her last. The Japanese, competing in Guang- zhou 16 years after her last Asiad, was the women’s singles TENNIS top seed but lost to China’s in a marathon, 165-minute semifi nal on Sunday. When asked whether she expects to be competing at the Incheon Asiad in four years’ time, the vet- eran said: “I will be 44 four years from now. I am not a robot. I am just an average person. “I’m not even sure whether I can manage to play until the end of next season, let alone the next .” The then 20-year-old won her fi rst Asiad title by leading Japan to the women’s team championship at the 1990 event in . In 1994, she pocketed singles gold in Hiroshima. NICOLAS ASFOURI / AGENCE -PRESSE Although she only managed Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan returns a against Peng Shuai of China during the women’s singles semifi nal at the Aoti Tennis Center on to win two bronze medals in Sunday. Peng won 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. the team and singles events in podium, and that meant so much at the 2009 , becom- 10 player at 39 years, seven months “I had a good season. But I’m very , Date Krumm said to me.” ing the second-oldest player in the and 26 days. tired now as the year is coming to an appearing at the event was a Picking up tennis at the age of Open era to do so aft er Billie Jean She then received a to end. I’m in my best condition now. dream come true. seven, Date Krumm broke into the King. enter the 2010 Commonwealth It’s a pity that I can’t participate in “I hadn’t played at the Asian elite level in the 1990s and achieved At this year’s , Date Bank Tournament of Champions the fi nal,” she said aft er losing 7-6 Games in a very long time. But I a career-high world ranking of Krumm defeated former world in , Indonesia. She upset China’s (6), 3-6, 6-2 to Peng. really wanted to play again,” she said. No 4 in 1995. She called time on No 1 and 2009 runner-up Dinara No 1 and the tournament’s top seed, “Now I need some rest before “I didn’t play tennis for 12 years and her career aft er the 1996 Olympic Safina in the first round. It was Na, in the opening round and continuing to compete next year. I then I came here as the top seed … Games at the age of 24. her fi rst win in a main then defeated Daniela Hantuchova. will focus more on the singles and it was beyond my dreams. What’s Returning to the tour in April draw since 1997, and she became She fi nished the year as the world’s hopefully, I can have some good more, I managed to stand on the 2008, she picked up a WTA title the oldest player ever to beat a top No 46-ranked player. results in the Grand Slams.” Peng Shuai fl ies the fl ag after stars pull out By TANG YUE national team’s hopes when she Peng said after the 165-minute enced. I know she has defeated a lot CHINA DAILY upset top seed Kimiko Date match. of high-ranking players this year,” Krumm of Japan in a marathon “I was leading sometimes and Peng said of her doubles partner at GUANGZHOU — After strug- semifi nal on Sunday. was falling behind, too. In the sec- October’s . gling through a year which saw her Peng, seeded fourth in Guang- ond set, I felt very tired and she was Date Krumm, a former world No WTA Tour ranking fall to a six-year zhou, will battle for the gold medal bouncing back. But the fans kept 4, was full of praise for Peng. low of 95, China’s Peng Shuai came with third seed Akgui Amanmura- cheering for me and that gave me “I think she had a great match into the Asian Games as a dark dova of Uzbekistan, who defeated strength and I kept telling myself today. She had good attacks and horse for the crown. ’s in the other not to give up,” said Peng. good defense. Competing on her However, with the host’s top semi. She said her mental preparation home court put her under pressure, two players, world No 11 “We were running all the time. for the encounter against the 1994 and she had to fi ght that as well as and defending champion Zheng There were a few balls during Asiad singles gold medalist helped me. But I think she controlled it well ZOU ZHONGPING / CHINA DAILY Jie, not competing in the singles, which I felt my arms and legs were her. and then took charge of the match,” Peng Shuai returns a shot to the 24-year-old picked up the about to fall off,” an exhausted “She is very tough and experi- she said. Kimiko Date Krumm on Sunday.