10 greatest moments: Kimiko Date
After a professional career spanning 29 years, Kimiko Date has decided to hang up her racquet for the second time. She leaves a legacy of thrilling matches and memorable moments.
01
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Date’s breakthrough came at the 1994 Australian Open, when she reached the first of three career Grand Slam semifinals.
02
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Date won her first and only Tier I event when she claimed the Toray Pan Pacific Open, beating Lindsay Davenport in the final.
03
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One of her most incredible matches came in the 1995 Lipton Championships, when she came from a set and two breaks down to beat Gabriela Sabatini.
04
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It proved a great year for her as she reached the semifinals of the French Open and reached a career-high WTA ranking of No.4.
05
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In a memorable Fed Cup match Date defeated German great Stefanie Graf in three sets, showing incredible resilience to win the decider 12-10.
06
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After 12 years away from the sport, she claimed the 2009 Hansol Korea Open a day before her 39th birthday.
07
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Her rise back towards the top continued as she overcame injury to stun Dinara Safina at the French Open of 2010.
08
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Although she lost to Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2011, she was a whisker away from victory in a three-set classic.
09
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In 2013, she became the oldest winner of a women’s singles Grand Slam match in history at the Australian Open.
10
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Date retired on Tuesday following a professional career spanning nearly 30 years. She claimed 8 WTA titles in total.
