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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2009

Kimiko Date Krumm

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

K. KANEPI/K. Date Krumm
6-4, 4-6, 8-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were so close.
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Yeah, it's so close match. It was close match. I didn't know that almost three hours I was playing, because I like the hot place and I like more humid compared to qualifying.
So I didn't feel. Just concentrate the match. I just concentrate, so I didn't feel no bad. I didn't think about I will win or not, lose easy. Just concentrated today.
My body was moving very quite good. So just to enjoy to play. Of course, after losing, if I took one more point or four more points, of course it's a little bit disappointing.
But it's first time Grand Slam, the main draw, after comeback, so it's good fight.

Q. Are you surprised that you could play so well for so long?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Yes, of course I was surprised. Today was very hot. My body is moving very good. Tennis also, it's not bad today. Of course, serve is a little bit problem. I just concentrate. She also has big serve. Sometimes, of course, difficult to control.
Of course, I can reaction, but difficult to control deep or angle. So little bit difficult to control.

Q. After 15 years, why are you doing this?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: After retire in 1996, sometimes I start do sports. Sometimes swimming, sometimes jogging, sometimes playing tennis with a friend or my husband. After a few years later I enjoy to play tennis also, and my husband push me a lot.
Say you can go back on the tour, because he never see me when I was a player before. So he's a racing driver from Germany, and he likes tennis. He likes sports. He likes serious world.
So if I play exhibition match, he doesn't like just exhibition match. Exhibition match is exhibition match, not serious. So always he said to me, You must go back.
Then last year in March I had exhibition match in Tokyo with Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova. Then after that he push me so hard. Then I decide I just enjoy to play again.

Q. How does a tennis player from Japan meet a racing driver from Germany?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Because he has a contract with Nissan. He already live in Japan since 1994. But first time we met in LeMans, in France, 24-hours race. When I was retire, I went to LeMans just to watching the racing. Little bit I working for TV. So when I was there, some other racing driver introduce to me. He was watching me before, before we met, just watching the TV.
Then he said his friend, I found wife, he said, already, before we met. After a few years later, we married. So he always saying it's destiny.

Q. Do you speak English or Japanese together?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Most time we speak Japanese. But I try to speak English sometimes. I study little bit in German also. So sometimes if I can speak German, little bit German.

Q. Where does today leave you in terms of your comeback, and what are your plans for the rest of the season?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Still I don't know, but last year I only played most time in Japan. From zero I start. Then now ranking is going little bit more higher than before last year, so I decide to just try the Grand Slam because, of course, I can enter the qualifying, so why not I don't play?
So I came here and I qualified, so of course, I try to play next Roland Garros. I hope I try to play Roland Garros and Wimbledon and the US Open, the qualifying because I have nothing to lose.
Now I just enjoy to play tennis, just enjoy the traveling. Before, when I was young player I couldn't enjoy the tour. I don't like not so much only think about the win or lose. So little bit too much pressure myself.
So now always my husband waiting. Even not together, he waiting in Japan or Monaco, so always follow me. If even we are not together, but still I can feel that he supporting me. I don't know what's going happen, but if I can't move, if I have big problem, difficult to continue.
So step by step if I can go everywhere, I will try.

Q. Why did you retire in the first place?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: When I was top 10 before, I was not comfortable because never happened Japanese player to be the top-10 player. Always I put too much pressure to me, I must win, I must win, always I was thinking.
Of course, I don't like to lose. But too much pressure. I don't like not so much traveling. Always I feel I am alone. Always my family of course supporting me, but they not so much coming together. I also not comfortable always together, to my case. So always I traveling my coach, physical trainer, and my friend, but still feeling is not -- feeling is a little bit too alone, yes.

Q. Were you happy retired?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: Yes. After retire, I enjoyed my life. Always I staying in home, because I never staying in home when I traveling. So I staying in home. Then I meet friends all the time. So I had a good time. I never miss. I want to go back to the tour, I want to play one more time, I never think about that.
But after few years, and then I felt I love sports. Because after few years later, I tried full marathon in 2004. I finished under 3 hours, 30 minutes. So I just enjoy do sports.
Now also I do pilates almost every day. Just enjoy the sports, so...

Q. Was your husband here today?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: No, he was in Malaysia. Last week he had the test for Nissan. Yesterday he go back to Monaco. I think he just follow the live score, because in Monaco they don't show my match. So just follow the live score I think in the midnight until he can't continue to check.
After the match, I don't speak to him. So maybe tonight for me I will call to my husband and speak. Maybe he was so exciting to check the live score.

Q. What is your next target?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: This time first time Grand Slam and I was qualified. I played top-25 seed player, Kanepi. She has a big serve. She has very strong. Even strong womens player, I play with her.
Today I got many confidence myself. So I will try more. I need more, of course, physical, more big muscle. Of course, I need more stamina also. So, of course, now I know what I need. So target also I try to more higher than before.
But still my ranking is very low, 180 something. So I need some more point to get up to next level. So first I need some more point as soon as possible. Then I want to be more WTA Tour and try to Grand Slam, yeah.

Q. You had your trainer come out to treat your leg today. What was wrong?
KIMIKO DATE KRUMM: I felt right calf starting little bit cramp. Not only today. I had the problem qualifying also. The first round and third round also I felt little bit cramp. So I don't know.
Every day I speak with my physical trainer. I call to Japan and then talking like about this, about cramp. But I don't know why start cramp. So I take almond, I take protein, I take banana, I take milk. He said the mineral calcium, the balance is wrong, is easy to start to cramp.
So I tried many things. Today is little bit different story, I think. Little bit too hot and difficult compared to the qualifying. But at moment I have a little bit problem about cramp.

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