Japan's iron lady: Date-Krumm wins Tokyo opener

Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm rolled back the years to thrash countrywoman Misaki Doi 6-4, 6-2 on Monday and reach the second round of the Japan Open. The former world number four, who turns 45 this month, needed just 79 minutes to see off Doi in windy conditions in Tokyo, setting up a clash with Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic in the last 16. Tomljanovic, the seventh seed, survived a scare to beat Hungary's Timea Babos 3-6, 6-4, 7-6. Date-Krumm, who reached her career-high fourth in the world in 1992 and is now hovering around 160th, used all her experience to force Doi into a slew of errors in a one-sided affair.