LOCAL FLAVOR: Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm wanted to extend her stay in Bali, but top seed Marion Bartoli stood in her way. Date-Krumm, who is back on Tour at the age of 39, said she enjoys Indonesian food. She was asked to get specific, and displayed a bit of bahasa Indonesia for journalists. "Nasi goreng and mi goreng," she said of fried rice and fried noodles.
When a journalist stood up to tell Date-Krumm that "we all love you here", the Japanese was even able to offer a terimakasih. She may be able to brush up on her Indonesian even more, with a plan to play tennis with Indonesia's Yayuk Basuki, also 39 and back playing doubles events, in Tokyo in a few weeks. "We have been keeping in touch with what we're doing," she said.
HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY: Hungary's Melinda Czink was understandably upset after losing a 5-1 second-set lead, and then the match, to Aravane Rezai on Thursday.
The 38th-ranked player turned the question back on her interrogator when asked in the postmatch press conference about what had caused her to let the set slip away from her.
"You tell me, you saw the match," she snapped. She brightened up a bit when asked about her love of Sudoku and reading - she can read up to three books in a week. By the end of the conference could even offer a smile and put the loss in perspective. "There'll be other tennis matches," she said.
COULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE: It was a bad day for Hungarian fortunes on Thursday as Agnes Szavay also lost to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain.
The 20-year-old Szavay, who won the first set before running out of steam, was temporarily lost for words when a journalist asked her to describe her performance in three words.
"Just three? I don't know," she said. Another reporter helped out by suggesting "Could've played better." Szavay nodded in agreement.
THEY LOVE IT: Many of the players are visiting Bali for the first time, and they have been dutifully impressed by the resort island. France's Aravane Rezai pronounced it "perfect" - it certainly was for her giant-killing run - while Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez said she would spend another week after the tournament exploring Bali with her boyfriend.
Israeli Shahar Peer, who is accompanied by her parents and brother, loved the abundant seafood and the "calmness" of local people.
- Bruce Emond
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