• Tournament of Champions

Date-Krumm stuns top seed in Bali

ESPN staff
November 4, 2010
Kimiko Date-Krumm got the job done in style © Getty Images
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Forty-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm hailed a "miracle" victory after she stunned top seed Na Li at the Tournament of Champions.

Date-Krumm, who became the oldest known singles finalist at the Japan Open in October, booked her place in the semi-final after triumphing 6-4 3-6 6-4.

"It's a miracle," the Japanese player told Reuters. "I'm surprised [younger players] are not as fit as me. I don't like to limit myself so I always push myself very hard."

In the first meeting between the players, Date-Krumm showed her battling qualities as she sealed the triumph despite seeing her serve broken on six occasions across the two hours and 22 minutes of action.

She now moves on to play the resurgent Ana Ivanovic, who totally outclassed No. 3 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The former world No. 1 required a mere 48 minutes to move into the last four, recording a 6-0 6-1 success.

Ivanovic appeared to be in freefall earlier in the year, but she has steadied the ship of late and won the Ladies Linz in Austria last month. Now she appears to have carried that momentum forward.

"It was an almost perfect performance," Ivanovic said. "I really felt good out there. I thought I really served well and played aggressive and was moving well, so there wasn't much wrong today.

"I feel the things I've been working on, I can see them working now in the matches and that makes a big difference when you have pressure and important points."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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