Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm sent young British hope Laura Robson crashing out of the Japan Open in another triumph for her evergreen career on Tuesday.
Date-Krumm, playing just days after her 43rd birthday, won the first-round clash 6-4 6-4 against the 19-year-old seventh seed, her second notable scalp of recent weeks after she beat Maria Kirilenko in Seoul.
The seemingly ageless Japanese reached the third round at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year as she continues to defy the march of time.
The result dashes British hopes after defending champion Heather Watson, whose victory last year was the first WTA title in 24 years for a British woman, went out on Monday.
China’s Zhang Shuai, who won her first WTA title last month in Guangzhou, underlined her current form when she ousted experienced Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-0 6-3.
But local hope Ayumi Morita took only three games off Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum as she fell 6-2 6-1 at the first hurdle.
Elsewhere, German second seed Sabine Lisicki put out South Africa’s Chanelle Scheepers in straight sets and American Vania King upset Italian fourth seed Flavia Pennetta.
And American sixth seed Madison Keys beat Slovakian qualifier Anna Schmiedlova as she also reached the second round.