Seoul, Korea (My Sportsbook) - Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan is closer to making her comeback complete, as the former top-10 star knocked off defending champion Maria Kirilenko in Saturday's semifinals at the Korea Open. Date Krumm rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Russian to advance to Sunday's final, where she will play second-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues. The Spaniard also came back from a set down Saturday to beat Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. A seven-time winner on the WTA Tour in the 1990s, Date Krumm returned to pro tennis in April 2008 following a lengthy retirement. She had been playing mostly on the ITF circuit, winning a title earlier this year, but success had not followed on the WTA level until this week. Date Krumm, who turns 39 years old on Monday, had been a first-round loser in each of her seven main-field WTA events this year. She also lost in qualifying at the French and U.S. Opens. A win on Sunday would make Date Krumm the second-oldest woman in the Open Era to capture a WTA Tour singles title. Only the legendary Billie Jean King was older when she won the Birmingham crown in 1983 at 39 years, 7 months and 23 days. Medina Garrigues, the 23rd-ranked player in the world, stands in her way. The 27-year-old has nine career WTA Tour titles, including a victory at this year's Moroccan Grand Prix in May. |
