Date Kimiko was born in Kyoto, Japan on September 28, 1970 as the second eldest sister in family of Date. She was known as "Genius" and the strongest tennis player in Japan. She is also well known as user of the rising shot which you hit the ball right after it bounces and it is very difficult to do it.
Kimiko Date started playing tennis when she was 7 years old. At the year she become 9 years old, she experienced her first match in tennis and she won the third place in that tournament. When she was 14 years old, she became the best of 4 in All-Japan Junior Under-14 championship. In next year, she won the 3rd place in National Junior high school tennis Championship. Up to here, it seems she is just stronger than the normal tennis player but she grows up from the age of 16.
1986: Entered to Sonoda-Joshi High school which is very famous in tennis. She won the All-Japan Junior Under-16 Championship in doubles.
1987: She became the best of 4 in All-Japan Tennis Championship in her first time playing that tournament.
1988: She won all these tournaments this year.
Invitational All-Japan Junior Indoor championship(both women single and doubles)
Wimbledon Junior Championship (Womens singles)
National High School Athlete Meet. In this championship, she won the women singles, doubles, and as a school. It was historically not seen in 22 years.
All-Japan Junior Tennis Tournament Under-18 (women singles and doubles)
Intenational Women Circuit, Masters (Singles)
1989: Kimiko graduated the Sonoda High School and made a contract with Yonex and became a pro tennis player.
1990: It was her first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open and she won up to best of 16. In the same year she won her first match in Wimbledon. She also experienced the serious injuries for the first time.
1991: She became a runner-up of Virginia Slim Of Los Angeles Tournament defeating Gabriela Sabatini. The opponent of the final was Monica Seles and from this tournament, the tennis industry started to pay attention to her.
1992: Date defeated A. Sanchez Vicario in Toray Pan-Pacific Open and become best of the 4. This year she received "Most Improved Player Of The Year" from WTA. She also received "Most Fashionable" from Japan Mens Fashion Association.
Mizuno World Ladies Open (Best of 4)
Lipton Championship (Best of 16)
Japan Open (Winner for the first time)
Grand Slam, Roland Garros (Best of 16)
Barcelona Olympics
1993:
Asia Womens Open (Runner-up)
She won up to best of the 4 in Lipton Championships defeating M.J.Fernandes.
Japan Open (Winner)
Date Kimiko won up to best of 8 in Grand Slam, US Open defeating A.Huber and J.Novotna.
Nichiray Ladies Cup (Runners-up)
1994:
She won the NSW Open and became the Top 10 player in the world for the first time. This year she received 5 glorious awards from the country.
Grand Slam, Australian Open (Best of 4 for the first time in the Grand Slam)
Japan Open (Winner, 3 years in a row)
Won a gold medal in Hiroshima Asia competition.
Virginia Slims Championships ( Best of 4)
1995:
TorayPPO (winner)
Lipton Championship (runner-up)
Japan Open (runner-up)
Grand Slam, Roland Garros (Best of 4, She became the first Japanese women to win up to best of 4 in Roland Garros)
Grand Slam,Wimbledon (Best of 8,It was also made the record of first Japanese women to win up to best of 8 in Wimbledon)
1996: This year, she reached her 200wins in her pro tennis player life.She also won both singles and doubles in Japan Open. In Fed Cup, she defeated Stefi Graf for the first time in the match which was played nearly 4hours. After the Atlanta Olympics, she announced her retirement on September 24. Her last match before her retirement was against Martina Hingis in the Chase Championship. She had received "1996 MVP" from the country.
After she retired, she worked as a adivisor of the tennis match, coach who teaches tennis, JICA's official supporters and other many activities.
