Japan’s ‘iron lady’ to quit game at 46
Japan’s Kimiko Date, the grand dame of women’s tennis, announced on Monday that she will retire from the game a few days short of her 47th birthday.
The former world number four said on her official blog that she will add the “full stop” to her career by retiring — for a second time — after the Japan Women’s Open tournament, which begins in Tokyo on September 11.
“I have always been obsessed with competing,” said Date, who took a 12-year hiatus from professional tennis after quitting at the peak of her powers in 1996.
“But increasingly I’ve found myself adjusting the length and intensity of training to look after my physical condition.
“It has not been an easy decision to sever the feeling that I want to get back on court and run around like I used to,” added the eight-time WTA Tour singles champion and former Wimbledon semi-finalist.
Date, a wiry 5ft 4in, underwent two knee surgeries since appearing at the 2016 Australian Open, but defied the odds to return to action in May this year.
Andy Murray is the latest to withdraw from the US Open due to a sore hip. He joined Stan Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic among the injured.
cited by experts is the lengthy and packed calendar which does not offer a lot of rest period in between.
means players can hit harder and therefore have to move faster and turn quicker, to make returns, thus causing more wear and tear on the body.
are played on hard courts which affects the body more than clay and grass courts.
is to cut down the season but both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are against any drastic changes.
the season by half and then if there is an injury we cut it down again, and at the end we play two months of the year eventually and we'll still be injured because now we're not playing enough," Federer said. matches to best of three sets and cutting down on time taken between two points and two games.