Kimiko Date facts for kids
Date in Japan, 2010
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| Country (sports) |  Japan |
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| Residence | Tokyo | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 September 1970 Kyoto, Japan |
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| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | March 1989 | ||||||||||||||||
| Retired | November 1996 12 September 2017 |
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| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | ||||||||||||||||
| Prize money | $3,988,378 | ||||||||||||||||
| Singles | |||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 450–268 (62.67%) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 8 WTA, 14 ITF | ||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (13 November 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | SF (1994) | ||||||||||||||||
| French Open | SF (1995) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | SF (1996) | ||||||||||||||||
| US Open | QF (1993, 1994) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
| Tour Finals | SF (1994) | ||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | QF (1996) | ||||||||||||||||
| Doubles | |||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 184–142 (56.44%) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 6 WTA, 7 ITF | ||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 28 (19 January 2015) | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | QF (1992) | ||||||||||||||||
| French Open | 2R (1993, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | 3R (2011) | ||||||||||||||||
| US Open | SF (2014) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | 2R (1992) | ||||||||||||||||
| Team competitions | |||||||||||||||||
| Fed Cup | SF (1996), record 21–11 (65.63%) |
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Medal record
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Kimiko Date (伊達 公子, Date Kimiko, born 28 September 1970) is a famous Japanese former professional tennis player. She is known for her amazing career, which included reaching the semifinals of three Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open in 1994, the French Open in 1995, and Wimbledon in 1996. Kimiko also won the Japan Open a record four times. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in 1995.
After retiring in 1996, Kimiko made a surprising comeback to tennis almost 12 years later, in April 2008. She continued to achieve great things, winning her eighth WTA title at the Korea Open in 2009. This made her the second-oldest player in the Open era to win a singles title on the WTA Tour. In 2013, she won three WTA Tour titles in doubles. At the US Open in 2014, at the age of 43, she reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam doubles tournament for the first time. Kimiko Date finally retired from professional tennis in September 2017.
Contents
Kimiko Date: A Tennis Legend
Early Career and Rise to Stardom
Kimiko Date started her professional tennis journey in March 1989. By 1990, she was already making a name for herself, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open. In 1991, she showed her potential by beating world No. 3, Gabriela Sabatini, in Los Angeles.
The year 1992 was important for Kimiko. She won the Japan Open and reached the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open. She also made it to the fourth round at the French Open. Her hard work was recognized when she received the WTA Most Improved Player of the Year award.
First Retirement and Grand Slam Success
Kimiko continued her winning streak, securing another Japan Open title in 1993. She also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open that year. In 1994, she won the Sydney International and entered the world's top 10 for the first time. She then reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open.
She won her third Japan Open in a row and earned a gold medal in singles at the 1994 Asian Games. In 1995, Kimiko won her first major Tier I tournament, the Pan Pacific Open. She also reached the semifinals of the French Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, achieving her highest ranking of world No. 4 in November 1995.
In 1996, Kimiko Date had another strong year. She won both singles and doubles at the Japan Open. She also famously defeated world No. 1, Steffi Graf, at the Fed Cup. At Wimbledon, she reached the semifinals before losing to Graf. Kimiko announced her retirement in September 1996, at the age of 25.
The Amazing Comeback
Almost 12 years after her first retirement, Kimiko Date made a surprising return to professional tennis in April 2008. She was 37 years old at the time. Her comeback started strong, as she reached the final of the Kangaroo Cup in Japan and won a doubles title there.
She quickly started winning more tournaments. In June 2008, she won the Tokyo Ariake International Ladies Open, her first championship since returning. She followed this with two more $25k event wins in Miyazaki and Obihiro, Japan. By November, she had won both the singles and doubles titles at the All-Japan Tennis Championships.
Winning Again at an Older Age
In 2009, Kimiko Date qualified for the Australian Open. Later that year, she won her first WTA Tour title since her comeback at the Korea Open in Seoul. This was a remarkable achievement, as she was almost 39 years old. She became the second-oldest player in the Open era to win a singles title on the WTA Tour, after Billie Jean King.
Her success continued into 2010. On her 40th birthday, she defeated former world No. 1, Maria Sharapova, at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She also beat world No. 8, Samantha Stosur, at the Japan Open in Osaka, becoming the first 40-something player to win against a top-10 opponent. She reached the final in Osaka, showing her incredible skill and determination.
Doubles Achievements and Final Years
Kimiko Date continued to play both singles and doubles. In 2011, she won her first WTA doubles title since 1996 at the HP Open with her partner Zhang Shuai. She also reached the third round of women's doubles at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
In 2013, she won another WTA doubles title at Strasbourg. She also made history at Wimbledon by becoming the oldest woman ever to reach the third round of the singles tournament. A major highlight came in 2014 at the US Open, where she reached the semifinals in doubles with Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová. This was her best Grand Slam doubles result.
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After playing just one match in 2016 due to a knee injury, Kimiko Date announced her final retirement in September 2017. She said she was troubled by ongoing knee and shoulder pain. She played her last match at the Japan Women's Open.
How Kimiko Played Tennis
Kimiko Date had a unique and effective playing style. She used short, quick swings for both her forehand and backhand shots. Her shots were often flat, meaning they had less spin, which was common for players in the 1990s.
She was known for her "pancake" forehand, which had very low spin. Kimiko was clever on the court, often using her opponent's power to hit sharp angles. This would surprise her opponents and catch them off-guard. After her comeback, she played especially well on grass courts, showing her "stealthy, neat athleticism."
Her Life Off the Court
Kimiko Date was born in Kyoto, Japan. She started playing tennis when she was six years old. Even though she is naturally left-handed, she was taught to play tennis with her right hand, following a common Japanese custom at the time. She was a tennis champion during her school years.
She was married to German auto racing driver Michael Krumm from 2001 to 2016. Kimiko also owned a German bakery in Tokyo called Frau Krumm for some time. In October 2017, she was recognized for her achievements and included on the BBC's annual 100 Women list.
Fun Facts
Did you know that Kimiko Date even had a video game named after her? It was called Date Kimiko no Virtual Tennis and was released in 1994 for the Super Famicom!
See also
In Spanish: Kimiko Date para niños
