For some, tennis is not a sport that should be in the Olympics. Its players have been professional for a long time, they earn millions of dollars a year, and they have their own major international championships.

Kimiko Date, Japan's greatest-ever tennis player, believes that Olympic tennis is still not regarded highly enough by today's professionals. She, too, had ambivalent feelings about taking part in the Games, but reflects that "it would have been a sad thing not to have taken part."

She played in the last two Olympics: Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. In an interview with The Japan Times last week, she explained her feelings about playing in the Games and recalled what it was like for one of the world's top tennis players.

"At the moment, Olympic tennis doesn't rank with the majors, but it's still a step up from regular tournaments," she stated.

"One of the problems is it doesn't fit easily into the players' schedule. Also, you don't get any (WTA or ATP) points; you only get points for the ITF rankings.

"In addition, some players figure that it's not worth risking injury in the Olympics, especially with a tight schedule. That's especially true this year as the Olympics come right after the U.S. Open. Most players will aim to peak at the Open; playing in the Olympics right after that would be very tough, especially for those who reach the final at the U.S. Open.

"There aren't any grand slam tournaments after this year's Olympics, but there are still some big tournaments such as the Grand Slam Cup and the WTA Championships.

"Things are changing though, and I think if players can get tour points then that would raise the level of the tournament, and the addition of prize money would boost the attractiveness of the event 100 percent."

Date points out that the Olympic tennis tournament is different from playing in the Fed Cup.

"Playing in the Fed Cup gives you much more of a sense that you are playing for Japan than playing in the Olympics. I don't know why.

"But I suppose that if you win a medal and your national flag is raised, then you would feel like you've done it for your country.

"I think the players all play for different reasons," she said. "Some, of course, want to represent their country, but others aren't willing to play for no points and no money. If they could give the Olympics more definition as a tennis tournament and give the players a reason to want to play in it, I think things would change."

Date was in two minds herself about participation. On the one hand, she had to think about her own schedule and fitness; on the other, was her duty to her country and the Japan Tennis Association.

"I did want to go, but I knew that if I went, the schedule would be really tight," she explained. "I also had to think about the grand slam tournaments, my results and schedule. So I had a lot of thinking to do. But I didn't want not to go."

Date insists that the decision was hers, but there's little doubt that she would have had a hard time explaining to the JTA if she had refused.

Date lost in the second round at Barcelona and the quarterfinals in Atlanta and her memories of those Games are contrasting.

"My best memory in Atlanta was my quarterfinal match against Arantxa Sanchez Vicario," she recalls. "It was a really tough match and both of us were really tired. We both had a cramp and it was hot. It was really hard." Date lost the epic match 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Barcelona presented different problems.

"At Barcelona, I remember the Japanese women tennis players had a hard time because we were not used to doing things with other people," Date remembered. "When we are on the tour, we stay in hotels and just do as we want. We eat when we want to eat and practice when we want to practice.

"So staying in the village in Barcelona, and eating with other people and going around with other people was really difficult.

"The good part of it was getting to meet different people from different sports -- usually we only got to meet tennis people -- but you'd use up all your energy just meeting people and it was hard to concentrate on getting ready for your matches.

"On tour, you could decide what you wanted to do and when you wanted to do it, but at the Olympics you had to think about the others on your team, the captain and coach and other teams and it was hard to deal with.

"On the plus side, it was fun cheering for other players from Japan. You were there as 'Kimiko Date of Japan,' and not Kimiko Date the individual, so in that sense it was a nice feeling.

"But it would have been a lot more fun if I was able to go out and watch other sports, but I didn't have any time to do that kind of thing.

"I didn't really have much fun at the village," she confessed. "In Atlanta, all the women players stayed in hotels."

Date missed the opening and closing ceremonies at Barcelona and Atlanta.

"I saw the Atlanta one on TV," she admitted. "In Barcelona, I was having acupuncture at the time."

Looking to Sydney

Australia was usually very kind to Date. She won the New South Wales Open there and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open.

"I like Australia because I always did well there," she laughs. "I like countries where I play tennis well."

What, like England? "Ah, well, in England the food is a problem."

"But I like Sydney, although, to be honest, I haven't seen much of it. I was always going straight from the tennis court to my hotel and back."

Date, who reached No. 4 in the world rankings and retired at her peak three years ago, would probably do well if she came back for another stab at the Games. The Olympics will be played on a similar artificial surface to that used in the Australian Open.

"I grew to like it," she recalls. "I thought it was a bit slow at first, but the more I played on it, the more I liked it. I think it should suit (Japanese No. 1) Ai (Sugiyama).

"I did a report on the Olympic tennis stadium for (TV Asahi's) News Station. It holds around 10,000 people and I feel it will be a really good place to play."

Looking ahead to the competition, Date admitted the Japanese men's pair of Satoshi Iwabuchi and Tommy Shimada would have a hard time against the likes of the Woodies (Australia's Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde), who will be making their farewell as a team at the Games.

"Well, I think they (Iwabuchi and Shimada) will do better than if they had entered the singles as they are not power players and doubles doesn't require as much power. A lot will depend on the draw."

Date admitted to being a fan of Australian star Patrick Rafter, one of the favorites for the men's title.

"Australian men are doing really well at the moment, so I think they have a great chance to win the title," Date noted. "I like Rafter's tennis. He never gives up and always gives it his best."

Date hoped to see a Rafter-Andre Agassi matchup, but with Agassi's withdrawal from the competition, she's happy just to watch Rafter.

And the women? Japan will be represented by Sugiyama and Shinobu Asagoe in the singles and Sugiyama and Nana Miyagi in the doubles.

"Right now, Ai-chan is struggling a bit in singles, but she's doing really well in doubles. I think in singles, she needs to find a secret weapon, a good shot, that will enable her to beat top 10 players and move up in the rankings. If she could find that one killer weapon, she could beat anyone.

"Also, as there are no points to lose in the Olympics, she has the opportunity to play a little more aggressively than usual, which may give her an edge.

"It's the first Olympics for Asagoe, so I think it may just be a learning process for her. She should make the most of it and absorb what's going on and try to practice with a lot of different people, too.

"Asagoe is from my old school and I want her do do well. Her ranking's a bit low at the moment, but it is a good chance for her to play tennis with a lot of different people and to try out things that you might not do in a tour match."

In truth, Asagoe has as much of a chance of winning the Olympic tennis title as Koji Ito has of winning the 100 meters title. Both are way down the rankings compared to Suzu Chiba, the Japanese swimming star who was shockingly left off the Olympic swimming team. Wasn't it strange, I asked Date, that a no-hoper such as Asagoe could play for Japan in the Olympics while a medal chance like Chiba couldn't.

"I don't know much about swimming and what her relationship was with the federation, but from what I've read in the papers it is disappointing and I feel sorry for her," Date commented.

"I do feel there still is something weird going on, but I don't really don't know the facts behind the case, so I can't say too much."

So, how about the doubles?

"Sugiyama and Miyagi don't usually pair up together, so that might cause problems, although they've played together in the Fed Cup. Nana has good doubles technique and Ai can adapt from (her usual partner) Julie (Halard-Decugis), so if they can bring out the best in each other, they have a good chance."

So, who's going to take the gold in women's singles?

"It's got to be (Lindsay) Davenport or Venus Williams," Date predicted, adding that she wasn't a great fan of the elder Williams sister.

"I don't like Venus' tennis very much, but when I see her power and when she does everything so perfectly, I have to admit a grudging respect for her, although I prefer Serena."

The first round of tennis at the Olympics starts on Set. 19.