Smiling Kimiko's Melbourne date ends in defeat

[gkanai]

Well it was a good effort:

Smiling Kimiko's Melbourne date ends in defeat

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Kimiko Date Krumm's grand slam comeback after 12 years away ended in a narrow defeat on Monday at the Australian Open.
But while that result might have hurled a thrusting teenage would-be starlet into a hissy fit, a bout of self-doubt or the depths of depression, nothing could extinguish 38-year-old's Date's brilliant smile afterwards.
Back on the grand slam stage for the first time since 1996, the Japanese is enjoying tennis like never before and enjoying life with her German racing driver husband Michael Krumm.
"When I was top 10 before, I was not comfortable because it had never happened, a Japanese player in the top 10. Always I put too much pressure to me, I must win, I must win, always I was thinking," she grinned.

[gkanai]

Actually this article is better.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/tennis/australian-open/beaten-but-age-hasnt-wearied-krumm/2009/01/19/1232213541480.html

[Taro Toporific]

Beaten, but age hasn't wearied Krumm
The Age --Jan 21, 2009
....Suddenly, she discovered the joys of a simple life. "I enjoyed my life. Always I staying in home, because I never staying in home when I travelling." She caught up with friends, had fun, and never once missed the world she had left behind.
Doing some television work, she found herself one year at the Le Mans 24-hour car race. A German driver named Michael Krumm saw her on TV and told a friend he'd just found his wife. "After few years later we married. So he always saying it's destiny."
She stayed fit, swimming, jogging, sometimes playing tennis with friends or her husband. In 2004 she ran a marathon, and finished in under 3 hours. Then last year, after she defeated Graf and Martina Navratilova at a Tokyo exhibition, hubby started nagging wife like never before.
"He never see me when I was a player before. So if I play exhibition match, exhibition match is exhibition match, not serious. He likes serious world. So he says to me, 'You must go back'." ....

[Bucky]

[floatr][/floatr]Date Krumm wins Korea Open a day before turning 39: Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan became the oldest winner of a WTA Tour tournament since American Billie Jean King in 1983, beating second-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-3, 6-3 for the Korea Open title Sunday in Seoul.
Today's is Date Krumm's 39th birthday. King was 39 years, 7 months, 23 days when she won an event in Birmingham, England.
"Yeah, of course, very happy," said Date Krumm, who has eight singles titles in her career but hadn't won a tournament since 1996. "I realized one more time after this game that we don't know about tennis unless we actually play it."
Date Krumm, who has been ranked as high as fourth in the world, left the sport in 1996 before returning last year. She entered the Korea Open ranked 155th.
Date Krumm beat top-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals and defeated defending champion Maria Kirilenko of Russia 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals.
In discussing her career timetable, Date Krumm said, "I think I won't have any problem in my physical strength over the next five years. But I'm married ... have to have kids and have a lot of things to do. I think I can play tennis for the next two years."

Almost over the hill and the biological clock is ticking. . . . tick, tock. . .