KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM took Venus Williams the full distance in their Centre Court clash yesterday before losing 8-6 in the deciding set, after two hours and 58 minutes on court.
The Japanese player knows all about endurance tests though. In 2004, during the 12 years she took out of tennis, Date-Krumm ran the London Marathon, finishing 363rd out of all the women, clocking a highly respectable three hours and 27 minutes.
AFTER the Queen’s visit last year, yesterday it was the turn of the Duchess of Cornwall to make a trip to Wimbledon. She had good company in the Royal Box, not least from Sir Bruce Forsyth, who was awarded his new title in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Generation Game legend ‘Brucie’ was among the crowd affording 31-year-old Venus Williams and 40-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm a standing ovation after their entertaining clash. Hard to argue, after all it was such a good game, good game.
HEATHER WATSON’S battling performance in her three-set defeat to Mathilde Johansson has won her a new fan – Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand.
The former Three Lions skipper, currently on holiday after helping United win a record 19th title, watched the teenager’s courageous display on Court Three, where she lost 2-6 6-4 6-4.
He wrote on Twitter: “unfortunate to see Heather Watson lose today, she looks a real prospect. Talent + guts.”
