Tennis
Date Krumm defies doctor's orders but not Groth
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-28 13:21
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 Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan reacts during her match against Jarmila Groth of Australia during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2010. [Photo/Agencies] |
PARIS - Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm's French Open adventure ended on Thursday after she defied doctor's orders to take to the court for her second-round match.
The 39-year-old, who stunned former world number one and last year's runner up Dinara Safina in the first round, was routed 6-0 6-3 by Australia's Jarmila Groth but was severely hampered by a calf injury that flared up against Safina.
"Yesterday I took an MRI. I went to the clinic, and the doctor said 'of course don't play. It's too risky'.
"The results were not good, but I had the same problem before so I feel if I'm standing in the middle I don't feel the pain.
"My character, it's not like to retire or don't play. I just wanted three games or one set or two sets. But I wanted to try do my best. I tried to continue."
On Tuesday Date Krumm became the oldest woman to reach the second round here in the Open era since Britain's Virginia Wade in 1985.
Her result against Safina was even more extrordinary as she was playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 1996 after which she quit the game for 12 years.
There was never a chance of a repeat on Thursday against the 23-year-old Groth who even looked awkward at making her opponent stretch on the damp clay after a day of rain -- raising her hand to apologise after scoring with a dropshot.
"Of course today was not the best condition for me, but of course she knew my injury to my calf so she used the tactics," date Krumm said. "She used the higher (ball) and then used the dropshot also. So it was hard tactics for me.
"It's normal. If I play her and she injured the calf of course I use the same way."
