U.S. Open Recap: Venus Edges Date-Krumm in Battle of Vets
August 25, 2014 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal
In a battle of two of the oldest players in the 2014 U.S. Open Women’s Singles Draw, it was the number 19 seed and 34-year-old American Venus Williams pulling off a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win Monday afternoon over the 43-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm from Japan. Venus moves to 3-0 lifetime over Date-Krumm, and moves on to the second round where she will face the winner of the Monday afternoon meeting between Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands and Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.
“The way she hits the ball is like no one else on Tour," said Venus of Date-Krumm. "It's hard to get a rhythm with her and all of our matches have been so tough."
Venus was six of nine on break chances in the second and third sets en route to her win Monday, remaining flawless at 16-0 in U.S. Open first round matches. Venus is a two-time winner of the U.S. Open, having won the title in 2000 and again in 2001.
Both Venus and Date-Krumm were forced to contend with a bee during the match, causing three temporary delays, before the insect was caught and removed from Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Click here for full results of Day One of the 2014 U.S. Open.
