THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 22, 1995

Kimiko Date Krumm

Q. Were you happy with the way you played today?

KIMIKO DATE: I would concentrate very well and moved swiftly and the play was much better than yesterday.

Q. You always play well at the Lipton, I remember some good matches in the past. Is there something special about playing here?

KIMIKO DATE: Three years ago against Steffi Graf, yes. That is the only one she could think of right now.

Q. The first set went by very quickly; seemed like Marianne was perhaps flat or, I don't know, had some kind of a problem. The second set was much closer. Can you talk about that?

KIMIKO DATE: At the game in the second set, 4-2, and she lost her service game easily and that was the key that the game became very close, so Date should have been more concentrated in that service game..

Q. Can you talk about Gabriela Sabatini and the possibility you might play her next and what your thoughts are about that?

KIMIKO DATE: She has played several matches against Sabatini, but every time she have very hard time beating her, so if she comes up to the semifinal, then she will do just do her best.

Q. What about Sabatini's game gives you the most problems?

KIMIKO DATE: It is not only Gaby, but whenever I play the top, top players it is very hard to get -- get the point easily, so just it gives a lot of pressure on the service and on every point, I mean, every point, so she just has to bring out everything she has in the match.

Q. What was your reaction? Did she have any reaction to the subway poisonings? Has she heard about it?

KIMIKO DATE: Yeah, she knows it. She hasn't made any phone calls to Japan. We have lack of information, but so far there is nobody involved her friends or anybody involved in that.

Q. Are you a celebrity in your home country now? Can you walk on the street unrecognized or do most people know who you are?

KIMIKO DATE: It is not always.

Q. It is not always what?

KIMIKO DATE: Walking down the street and somebody don't recognize. She doesn't go out much. She just drives whenever she goes.

Q. But do people recognize you most of the time or not?

KIMIKO DATE: Depends on the places and, so there are both cases people just don't recognize her at all and --

Q. Would she rather be recognized -- does she enjoy being recognized or would she rather not have that?

KIMIKO DATE: Rather not to be recognized.

Q. Does she endorse any products, and if so, what kind? Commercials?

KIMIKO DATE: For the TV commercial?

Q. Like a sports drink?

KIMIKO DATE: NEC. Pokka - it is a drink, beverage. And Yonnex. And Nipon Airway. And I.T.J. - it is a telephone company. This earring. (pointing to earring she is wearing.).

Q. What do you feel about -- you don't like being recognized, so it doesn't bother you to play in a stadium with not a lot of people in it like today, does that bother you or would you rather have a full stadium with lots of people cheering?

KIMIKO DATE: It is better the stadium get full because Date is playing there, but feel more relaxed if the stadium is not packed.

End of FastScripts.......