Tennis: Japan's Date wins first title in comeback
Associated Press
TOKYO — Former world No. 4 Kimiko Date won her first singles title Sunday since coming out of retirement in April.
Date beat 18-year-old Shiho Akita 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Tokyo Ariake International Ladies Open.
Date surprised many when she announced in April she would return to professional tennis at age 37. She initially retired in 1996, months after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals.
She was seeded No. 4 for the 32-player $10,000 ITF event. Top-seeded Hsieh Su Wei of Taiwan, the world's No. 116, was eliminated in the round of 16 after retiring through injury.
Date won seven WTA titles in seven years on the pro tour.
