Commonwealth Bank Tennis announced the players who receive the wild cards for the Tournament of Champions. As I have been suggesting, Sabine Lisicki of Germany is one of the recipient. To the surprise of many tennis fans, Kimiko Date-Krumm named the other player to receive the wild card.
Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour said, "The event promises to be a fantastic finale for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s International tournaments. With the field featuring some of the Tour’s leading players and next generation stars, a great week of tennis and fierce competition is guaranteed."
The tournament news states: "Featuring top Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players and next generation champions competing in an innovative, 12-woman round robin singles format (four groups of three players), it will offer both $600,000 in prize money and an opportunity to earn a $1-million bonus."
How could WTA and the tournament owner claim to promote next generation stars, while at the same time they give a wild card to 39-year-old player? I like Kimiko Date and would love to see her in person, but is she considered a next generation champion?
I try to guess the reasoning of this choice. They want to promote Asian players. First priority would be Indonesian players, but none of them have participated in the international events or shows any significant results during the year. Then they looked at the Asian women participating in WTA tour. We have Li Na, Peng Shuai, Zheng Jie, Tamarine Tanasugarn, Sania Mirza, and Mrs. Krum in the Top 100 of WTA rankings. Chang Kai Chen could also be added due to her phenomenal achievements in the recent months, including an epic win over World No. 1 player, Dinara Safina.
Among the Asians, Tanasugarn and Date-Krumm are the only winners of international tournaments. Tanasugarn would not sell the tournament as people in Bali and Indonesia have seen her around many times. While the Japanese heroine had recorded an unlevelled achievement for Asian tennis players by being ranked No. 4 in singles back then in 1995. Having retired from professional tennis for almost 12 years her magic is still there. Her WTA tour title in Korea is considered a start of a bright new live of the Japanese player.
Maybe, WTA would use the participation of Date-Krumm as a momentum to emphasize her legacy and let Asian younger players see her as a role model for being a professional tennis player. Kimiko have shown how strong commitment for a professional life have conquerred the age and marriage barriers to be a reborn champion.
Her participation in Bali could hopefully bring older fans who miss her and the kids who want to see the Asian legend.
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