Player of the week: Kimiko Date-Krumm

One day before her 39th birthday, Kimiko Date-Krumm made history as she captured the title in Seoul and became the second oldest woman to win a WTA title, just after Billie Jean King who got the title in Birmingham at 39 years and 7 months old. Former WTA #4 Date retired in 1996 at 26 years old, but in April 2008 she decided to comeback 12 years after her retirement.


Although since her comeback she had enjoyed sucess on the ITF circuit, she hadn't broken through again at the Tour level, going 0-8 in main draws. Date finally got over the hump with a 63 64 1st round win against Korean wildcard Lee Ye-Ra. But the way to the final wasn't that easy anymore. She was down 64 52 to Alisa Kleybanova in the second round, facing a match point down 64 53 as well; but she overcame, rallying for a 46 76(4) 63 win. Then toughed out another pair of tough wins, 76(3) 46 64 against top seed Daniela Hantuchova in the quarterfinals and 36 62 64 against the defending champion, Maria Kirilenko, in the semifinals. Against No.2 seed Medina Garrigues in the final, Date Krumm faced her most tenacious and consistent opponent yet, but the Japanese withstood the mental pressure for a 63 63 victory and the trophy.


This was the 8th WTA title of her career and she promises to continue "as long as her body holds up". If her thought of playing for a couple of years more is right, we may see her overcoming King as the oldest woman ever to win a WTA title.