In a sport where athletes generally peak at 21, and are considered over the hill at 25, it's amazing to see 42 yr old Kimiko Date-Krumm, playing tennis in her 4th decade, and working her way into the third round at the most important tournament of the year, Wimbledon. While a 12 year break in her career may give her a body that is not as worn out as most 42 yr old tennis players, there is still the challenge of battling father time in general. As a 39 yr old athlete who as tons of wear and tear on my body from years of tennis and marathon running, i can strongly attest to the challenges faced by aging athletes.
In 2004, I traveled to Amelia Island, Florida, to watch then 47 yr old Martina Navratilova, return to singles action. I had a chance to meet her and chat briefly. You could tell that she was very serious about her sport and her overall fitness, and that she was willing to put extra time into watching her diet and hitting the gym, to do whatever it took, to bring her best to the court.
As I reach the age where most professional athletes my age, have retired, I find myself admiring those who are still at it. So here's a special shout-out to Kimiko for her amazing accomplishment of not only returning to the tour, but winning matches at Wimbledon! As I type this, she is currently on Center Court playing a 3rd round match against world #1 Serena Williams, who at 31, is also considered 'old' by tennis standards!
Hmmm, maybe there's going to have to be a tennis comeback for me, one of these days! #wimbledon
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