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Paris - Two-time French Open runner-up Dinara Safina of Russia lost in the first round at Roland Garros on Tuesday, falling to Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
The 39-year-old Date Krumm, who came out of a 12-year retirement in 2008, became the second oldest woman to win a match at Roland Garros in the Open era after Virginia Wade in 1985.
"I'm really happy. I tried my best," Date Krumm said after the French crowd gave her a standing ovation.
Date Krumm is playing at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 1996. Date Krumm made her Grand Slam debut at the French Open in 1989, when Safina was only 3 years old.
Playing with her right calf strapped, Date Krumm committed 63 unforced errors but compensated with 38 winners, while the ninth-seeded Safina struggled with her first serve.
Safina, a former top-ranked player, was runner-up at Roland Garros in 2008 and 2009. Her preparation for the French Open had been far from perfect, losing opening matches in Rome and Madrid.
Day Three Results (x denotes seeding):
Men - First Round
Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) bt Daniel K?llerer (AUT) 6-2, 6-2, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP x7) bt Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Grega Zemlja (SLO) bt Juan Monaco (ARG x26) 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Jurgen Melzer (AUT x22) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Robby Ginepri (USA) bt Sam Querrey (USA x18) 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-2
Women - First Round
Jill Craybas (USA) bt Katie O'Brien (GBR) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x29) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4, 6-2
Shahar Peer (ISR x18) bt Nuria Llagostera (ESP) 6-1, 6-4
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) bt Vania King (USA) 6-2, 6-2
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) bt Ayumi Morita (JPN) 6-1, 6-4
Klara Zakopalova (CZE) bt Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-2
Justine Henin (BEL x22) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4, 6-3
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x23) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 6-1, 6-1
Olga Govortsova (BLR) bt Carla Su?rez (ESP) 7-6 (11/9), 6-1
Jarmila Groth (AUS) bt Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 6-2, 6-3
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) bt Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-3, 6-2
Vera Zvonareva (RUS x21) bt Alberta Brianti (ITA) 6-3, 6-1
