Yaroslava Shvedova was in fine form on Wednesday, overpowering 39-year-old Japanese stalwart Kimiko Date Krumm after a close first set to win 6-4 6-2.
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Last year, Date Krumm became the second-oldest female in the modern Open era to win a singles title, taking out the 2009 Korean Open at age 38. But she had no answer to Shvedova’s sparkling display in their first round encounter.
The contest promised much, and it was standing room only around Court 8 before the players arrived. Japanese fans chanted “Go, go, Kimiko!” as the world No. 82 and second-highest ranked Japanese player matched Shvedova winner for winner in the early stages of the match.
Date Krumm, who turned pro back in 1989, was always going to find it tough up against the lithe world No. 53 from Kazakhstan.
Date Krumm showed the appreciative crowd that her abbreviated ground strokes did still pack a punch. The players traded break for break as the match progressed. In the ninth game of the opening set, Date Krumm left a ball that landed on the baseline and lost her serve. Her lapse of judgement allowed Shvedova to close out the set in the next game despite some desperate retrieving from the other end.
Shvedova continued to whip the ball and hit the lines in the second set, much to Date Krumm and the crowd’s dismay, and the Japanese favourite, who reached a career-high world No. 4 in 1994, had no weapon for a counter-strike.
After breaking Date Krumm in the fourth game, Shvedova sensed victory and unleashed more of her 28 winners. She rounded the match out confidently, breaking a fading Date Krumm to love.
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