Wimbledon 2013 Day 4: Date-Krumm makes history

Joy for Kimiko as she reaches the third round for the first time since 1996

Wimbledon 2013 Day 4: Date-Krumm makes history

After Weird Wednesday a more recognisable sense of order returned to SW19 on a rain effected Day 4 with all the key protagonists from the top halves progressing to round 3.

There was a wonderful story, however, on Court 12 as Kimiko Date-Krumm became the oldest woman in the Open Era to reach the last 32 at Wimbledon.  The unseeded Japanese, who turns 43 in September, saw off Alexandra's Cadantu 6-4, 7-5.

Date-Krumm was a quarter finalist eighteen years ago in 1995 (losing to Jana Navotna) and a semi-finalist seventeen years ago (losing a three set two day encounter with Steffi Graf) and yet this represented her second Grand Slam third round appearance of 2013, having also got this far in Melbourne.

More after the jump -

However while she stood a shot against Bojana Jovanovski down under Date Krumm faces more of a mission impossible in London against World No.1 and five-time Champion Serena Williams.

Williams is two wins off equally her sister's 35 match win streak in 2000

The American top seed extended her career best winning streak to 33 matches with a 6-3 6-2 victory over future start Caroline Garcia on Court 1.  Of course she is red hot favourite to lift a 6th Wimbledon crown but may not be favourite if the exhibition against Andy Murray goes ahead!

The other third round encounter in the top portion of the draw could be a thriller as Sam Stosur and Sabine Lisicki both scored straightforward victories.

Elsewhere there were wins for 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska and former French Open champion Li Na who snapped the 11 match winning streak of Simon Halep with a fluctuating 6-6 1-6 6-0 win.

In the Men's draw 2011 Champion Novak Djokovic, 2010 finalist Tomas Berdych, 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro and 2007 semi-finalist Richard Gasquet all progressed without the loss of a set.

Fourth seed David Ferrer did not make it to the court due to the late afternoon/evening rain nor did British No.1 Laura Robson.

One match left hanging on a knife edge overnight was the Court 3 battle between Mr Sharapova Grigor Dimitrov and Slovenia's Grega Zemlja. 

The 29th seeded Bulgarian had survived two match points - one with a fortuitous call on the baseline - but trailed 6-3 6-7 6-3 4-6 8-9 when rain halted proceedings. 

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