Kimiko Date-Krumm, 42, calls longevity ‘a miracle’

“Every time when I go to the gym, everybody is there, even before their matches, after their match,” she said. “They’re doing so much exercise. That’s why women’s tennis is changing compared to 10 years ago, 20 years ago.”

When Graf was winning her 22 Grand Slams in the 1980s and 90s, the game was more about technique, she said.

“Now it’s more speedy and more powerful,” she said, a few hours after Serena Williams unleashed her latest 128 mph serve.

Her stay in Melbourne is not quite over yet. She’s still playing doubles and has advanced to the third round with Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain.

Resting doesn’t seem to be on her agenda.

After Melbourne, Date-Krumm plans to return to Japan for a few days before flying off for a packed schedule of tournaments that include Pattaya, Thailand, Fed Cup, Memphis, Brazil, Indian Wells, Miami, Mexico.

In answer to the inevitable question: Will she be back next year?

“I will try my best,” she said.

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ACHES AND PAIN: Milos Raonic is convinced his fever, aches and blurred vision are what helped him to win.

The big-serving Canadian wasn’t sure he’d make it to his third-round match after sweating through the previous night with fever and aches.

“I had a tough night last night,” the No. 13-seeded player said.

When he arrived at the court, he “struggled seeing,” but still managed a straight-sets win against Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4.

“I just felt like every type of ache I had was magnified,” he said. “In a way, it was a good thing because I’ve been struggling a little bit with the intensity. It forced me to go 110 percent right away from the start.”

He’ll need that kind of commitment again in the next round against Roger Federer.

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