Osaka Finals Gallery
Published October 17, 2010 12:00
Japanese fans were captivated all week by the run of their No.1 player, Kimiko Date Krumm, to the finals.
Kimiko Date Krumm was 63 20 down but toughed out a 36 76(5) 75 semifinal win in just under three hours.
After successive wins over No.8 Sam Stosur and No.13 Shahar Peer, Kimiko Date Krumm signed for her fans.
Japanese icon Kimiko Date Krumm signed a large image of herself during a visit to the HP booth Saturday.
Tamarine Tanasugarn had been building her own momentum en route to the final and was sharp on the day.
Kimiko Date Krumm fought all she could but once the final went to a third set, things began unravelling.
Tamarine Tanasugarn regrouped after losing the second set and got past Kimiko Date Krumm, 75 67(4) 61.
Tamarine Tanasugarn, 33, and Kimiko Date Krumm, 40, were playing the oldest known women's final ever.
Kimiko Date Krumm and Tamarine Tanasugarn met at the net after putting on a show in the HP Open final.
Tamarine Tanasugarn won her fourth career title and second in Asia (she won in Hyderabad, India in 2003).
