Kimiko Date-Krumm has not ruled out returning to Wimbledon next year after the Japanese veteran suffered a frustrating, first-round exit yesterday.
At 43, Date-Krumm is the oldest player on the women’s tour and the 25th anniversary of her first appearance at Wimbledon in 1989 ended in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 defeat against Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Makarova.
Date-Krumm, once ranked fourth in the world, reached the semi-finals in 1996. She retired a few months later to spend more time with her husband, the German racing driver Michael Krumm.
She returned to the sport 12 years later and has continued to use her wealth of experience to good effect against far younger opponents.
It looked like she might win another impressive victory when she took the first set against Makarova, 26, but the younger woman proved too strong in the end.
Date-Krumm, ranked No 78, is open minded about returning for the 2015 tournament.
“I don’t know. It’s the most difficult question for me,” she said. “Every year when I play here, maybe I don’t come back next year.
“I almost beat her, and then my physical level also is still not bad for 43 years old. Of course, if my ranking drops to 150 or 200 there’s no chance I will be back.
“But I’m still fighting and most important I’m still enjoying myself. If I have chance to come back next year, I’m here. Maybe!”
Also yesterday, Samantha Stosur was the highest seed to exit the competition as she went down 6-3, 6-4 to Yanina Wickmayer.
The Australian 17th seed, who won the 2011 US Open, said: “I don’t feel like I played bad. There’s only so much you can really be down on yourself about, apart from losing.”
Sloane Stephens, the 18th seed, hinted at problems off the court as went out in the first round to Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 7-6.
The American said: “There’s things that you guys don’t know about, a lot of things that everyone else doesn’t see, but you have to work through it and you have to deal with it.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to be a big girl and just work through all the things that are troubling you.”
Victoria Azarenka, the No 8 seed, made a winning return to grand slam tennis as she defeated Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3, 7-5.
The Belarusian missed the French Open with a foot injury.
She said of her form: “My game was a little up and down but I’m happy I stayed in there and fought for every point.”
Li Na, the second seed, also progressed, beating Paula Kania 7-5, 6-2 on centre court.
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
