TENNIS in DEPTH.

Kimiko Date Krumm, one day shy of her 39th birthday, went all the way to the Hansol Korea Open title this week, dusting off the run with a straight set win over Anabel Medina Garrigues on Sunday afternoon.

Date Krumm finally got over the hump with a 63 64 first round win against Korean wildcard Lee Ye-Ra. 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; the Japanese needed to withstand the mental pressure of playing one of the best grinders out there and she did just that, converting the only break point of the opening set and holding onto that momentum in the second set for a 63 63 victory and the trophy.

At 38 years, 11 months and 30 days, Date Krumm is the second-oldest player in the Open Era to win a singles title on the Tour, after Billie Jean King (who won Birmingham in 1983 at 39 years, 7 months and 23 days).

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