[Rollo]

This looks like a good site-it calls itself "The unofficial Kimiko Date Homepage".


http://finland.co.jp/kimiko/

[gorecki]

thanks Rollo

some nice pics of Kimiko (from her 96 fed cup) and one of Kimiko with Ai (too cute!)

http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.p...ht=kimiko+date

[Rollo]

Thanks for posting that Gorecki

I especially liked the ones where she looks happy and relaxed. During her career she always projected a calm and controlled image on court.

Too bad you can't see her wedding photos in there-she looked incredible. Did they ever have kids?

[gorecki]

i had to go through my reps to find the one Rollo gave me to find this thread!

i miss watching Kimiko and wished i got to watch more of her matches while she was still playing! was fun to see her compact strokes which were pretty flat! remember watching her wimbledon 96 QF where she frustrated the hell out out of Mary in that match.

recently got to watch the second set of the semis against Steffi.
boy...there were so many beautiful rallies!
miss her and her game

[gorecki]

Originally Posted by Rollo

Thanks for posting that Gorecki

I especially liked the ones where she looks happy and relaxed. During her career she always projected a calm and controlled image on court.

Too bad you can't see her wedding photos in there-she looked incredible. Did they ever have kids?

1/2 a yr late , but better than never.
no i don't recall anyone mentioning that they had kids.

[Mathijs]

Thanks so much guys for creating this thread i've been fan of Naoko and Kimiko both and they were both great players, it's sad that they retired so early...

Thanks as well for the pics, i've tried alot of times to find pics of Naoko and Kimiko on search engines, but i only got to see the pics of Kimiko on the Unofficial Kimiko Date page....

[tommystar]

Hi Guys!

Watching today Kimiko's excellent win against the very nearvy and wierd Safina, came to my mind when did I see last Date play? My answer is Wimby SF vs. Steffi 1996. (Back in those days Eurosport hardly showed women's tennis, and I didn't have other satellite, so I missed her San Diego win and her farewell at Masters.)
I did not relly liked her in her first career, I was extremely pissed off beating Mary at that Wimbledon QF, I'd die to see a Graf-Pierce match on the Centre Court, and of course she scored that win against my beloved Gaby at Lipton 95 from 1-6 1-5... denying a Graf-Sabatini final.
But watcher her today was very unique, played so clam and strait, looked so nice and easy, was really great to watch, made fool with her normal shot from Safina many times, brought back the feeling of the good old days. (And her name already was on the very same draw where was Chris Evert's. )
She also changed a lot, I remember she didn't speak English at all, and always was so emotionless, but she showed today everything.

So my question for you: When did you see Kimiko play last before today's match?

[iainmac]

Originally Posted by tommystar

Hi Guys!

Watching today Kimiko's excellent win against the very nearvy and wierd Safina, came to my mind when did I see last Date play? My answer is Wimby SF vs. Steffi 1996. (Back in those days Eurosport hardly showed women's tennis, and I didn't have other satellite, so I missed her San Diego win and her farewell at Masters.)
I did not relly liked her in her first career, I was extremely pissed off beating Mary at that Wimbledon QF, I'd die to see a Graf-Pierce match on the Centre Court, and of course she scored that win against my beloved Gaby at Lipton 95 from 1-6 1-5... denying a Graf-Sabatini final.
But watcher her today was very unique, played so clam and strait, looked so nice and easy, was really great to watch, made fool with her normal shot from Safina many times, brought back the feeling of the good old days. (And her name already was on the very same draw where was Chris Evert's. )
She also changed a lot, I remember she didn't speak English at all, and always was so emotionless, but she showed today everything.

So my question for you: When did you see Kimiko play last before today's match?

Good post and I have to say I was delighted and thrilled that she beat Safina. Date is a remarkable player and someone who is so unique to watch. I wasnt that bothered by her in the first career but now I support her all the way. I didnt actually see the match with Safina, but I can imagine that she lured Dinara into mistakes and constructed rallies that baffled her. I have seen Date play a few times since her comeback, notably when she played a brilliant first few sets and almost beat Wozniaki at Wimbledon last year. As for the 90s, I cant really remember if the last time I saw her play would have been in the Federation Cup match when Japan famously beat Germany. Date had that momentous win over Graf but the year escapes me at the moment. I think that could have been the last time before the last few years that I saw her play??

[AnotherJoe]

Originally Posted by tommystar

Why did Date and Saeki give up their doubles match last year in Tokyo after the 1st Set?

Kimiko suffered a leg tendon injury and retired.

[Fabricio]

Acording to the WTA site, Head to head, Kimiko leads 5-3 against Naoko:

1996 - TOKYO (PAN PACIFIC) - JAPAN - CARPET
Naoko Sawamatsu win 7-5 3-6 6-4

1995 - AUSTRALIAN OPEN - AUSTRALIA - HARD
Naoko Sawamatsu win 3-6 6-3 6-3

1994 - STRASBOURG - FRANCE - CLAY
Kimiko Date win 6-3 6-4

1994 - TOKYO (JAPAN OPEN) - JAPAN - HARD
Kimiko Date win 6-4 6-2

1994 - MIAMI - USA - HARD
Kimiko Date win 6-2 6-4

1992 - FRENCH OPEN - FRANCE - CLAY
Kimiko Date win 6-2 6-7 (7) 6-3

1991 - TOKYO (PAN PACIFIC)- JAPAN - CARPET
Kimiko Date win 6-4 7-5

1990 - TOKYO (JAPAN OPEN) - JAPAN - HARD
Naoko Sawamatsu win 6-4 7-6 (1)