Forty-two-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm wins her first Australian Open match since returning to the tour in 2008, upsetting No. 12 Nadia Petrova, 6-2, 6-0. Date-Krumm, who has no plans to retire, said that the secret to her longevity is rest.
“I eat a lot; I sleep a lot,” she said. “Last night I was in the bed before 10:00. I finished the dinner already 7:30. Sleep before 10:00 like the kids. Because always after the match or after the practice I’m tired, so I need time to recover a lot. So I sleep a lot; I eat healthy foods; I drink a lot. It’s simple life.”
Date-Krumm added that while she still enjoys playing and practicing, she’s finding it harder to relate to her fellow players.
“It’s like my daughter,” she said with a laugh. “Some people, the player’s mother is younger than me. But I’m enjoy to talk to young player(s). Then they talking to me like normal. So, yeah. We enjoying together, yes.”