After defeating seed No.12 Maria Sharapova in the first round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open, home favorite Kimiko Date Krumm, who turned 40 in the meantime, won her second round match when Daniela Hantuchova retired in the third set.
Date Krumm lost the first set against Hantuchova 6-2, but since then her fellow former Top 5 player lost ten straight games and retired with a right shoulder injury. The Japanese has become the first 40-year-old woman since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon 2004 to win a main draw match of a WTA tournament.
Date Krumm’s next test will be French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who defeated Alexandra Dulgheru 7-5 6-3 in the second round.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki progressed with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Greta Arn, as well as second seed Vera Zvonareva who defeated Sara Errani 6-3 6-3. No.4 seed Samantha Stosur and No.10 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova lost – the Australian to Julia Goerges 7-5 6-3, the Russian to Andrea Petkovic 6-3 7-5. Ana Ivanovic’s Tokyo happiness was short-lived and she fell to seed No.11 Marion Bartoli. (photo: sydney-yokochin)
