In Short

I've been talking a lot about comebacks recently, what with Kim Clijsters' US Open triumph and the return of Henin and now Srichaphan and... that whole host of people who seem to be coming out of the woodwork after some time away.

But one that I have neglected - and very wrongly so - is Kimiko Date Krumm. 39 years old - which is getting on by anyone's standards in international sport - and back she comes, and what do you know? she's just gone and won a title.

Now that is a comeback. That is something pretty special.

I like Kimiko's style of play a lot - I do like those wiry, gutsy little players. And she's smart too, which is something I think a lot of the girls at the moment are struggling with. She's not the strongest player on tour, but she's definitely up there in terms of strategy. She is, in short (haha, the pun!) something a little bit special. She is something to be celebrated.

I just can't get over the fact that she's 39 years old. 39! Clijsters is what, 25? and coming back? It seems strange you can be coming out of retirement at that age... normal people are only just starting their careers, but the world of sport is different, I guess. It's so rare that you see players over 30 - women especially. The men seem to last a little longer, but the women are giving out in their late twenties, generally. 39. Thirty-freaking-nine.

The women is a wonder.


Today's Results

BCR Open Romania (Bucharest)

Albert Montanes def. Juan Monaco, 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6)


Open de Moselle (Metz)

Gael Monfils def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-2


Hansol Korea Open (Seoul)

Kimiko Date Krumm def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-3 6-3


Tashkent Open (Tashkent)

Shahar Peer def. Akgul Amanmuradova, 6-3 6-4


Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo)

Roberta Vinci def. Flavia Pennetta, 6-1 6-2
Lucie Safarova def. Ana Ivanovic, 6-4 7-6 (7-1)
Li Na def. Alize Cornet, 6-4 6-0
Elena Vesnina def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanches, 6-3 6-2
Sabine Lisicki def. Patty Schnyder, 6-4 6-0
Alisa Kleybanova def. Ayumi Morita, 6-1 6-4
Gisela Dulko def. Agnes Szavay, 6-3 6-0
Aravane Rezai def. Sara Errani, 6-2 6-2
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-1 7-6 (7-3)
Andrea Petkovic def. Sybille Bammer, 7-5 6-4
Chang Kai-Chen def. Kaia Kanepi, 6-3 6-3