Anke Huber: "The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has accompanied me almost all my life"
Anke Huber knows the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in all its facets - as a spectator, as a two-time winner and as a sports director. With us she looks back on "her" tournament.
by Anke Huber / Protocol: Florian Goosmann
last edit: Apr 21, 2020, 05:13 pm
“My first memory of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix? That was in 1984. When my father took me to Filderstadt for the first time, I was nine years old and had just discovered my enthusiasm for tennis. The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix was the first tournament I ever had so close to, and I can still remember how I walked through the facility with my eyes wide open and my mouth open. Of course I was particularly curious about Steffi Graf. At that time it was already considered the future number 1, and in our club it was also a role model for most girls.
It was a huge experience to see you live at this tournament. Like almost all the spectators in the hall, I also kept my fingers crossed for her, hoping that she would win this tournament. She also reached the finals, but then lost to the young Swede Catarina Lindqvist. It was unbelievable that she also received a brand new Porsche as an encore, just like that and to take away, and it was clear to me after this experience at the latest that I wanted to become a tennis professional.
I came to tennis through my father. He also played tennis himself and was also in a club. But we weren't your typical tennis family. In our home, tennis wasn't always on TV. At that time, not much was broadcast, maybe Wimbledon or the French Open, there was no private television yet. Anyway, I preferred to play myself rather than watch tennis broadcasts.
Premiere victory in 1991: "I could hardly believe it"
In 1990, six years after my first visit to Filderstadt, I was a player at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix for the first time. For me, a dream came true - but I quickly woke up again: I lost my opening match despite winning the first set against Australian Rachel McQuillan. Despite this defeat, I now knew one thing: this is my world.
I came back in 1991 and did a run to the finals. Back then everything was fine. The place came towards me, the fast surface and the spectators were fully behind me. I also benefited from my carelessness. I was only 16 years old, so I had little thought and played loose, I had nothing to lose. But this time everything was fine. In every match I had an opponent who was better placed, including world-class players like Zina Garrison and Helena Sukova - the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix always had a great field back then. Before I really realized what was happening, I was in the final - against the great Martina Navratilova. Then I swallowed. She was a star, had won five times in Filderstadt and was popular with the public.
From the final against Navratilova, I still remember how much the spectators cheered me on, especially after the lost first set. Martina was a star, had won five times in Filderstadt and was of course popular. But I was young, plus from Germany and even from the area - that probably got the audience on my side. I could hardly believe I actually beat Martina Navratilova after over three hours and won my home tournament.
The 1994 final against Mary Pierce was very different. Although she was the defending champion and clear favorite, she was already in the final of the French Open this year. But that was outdoors and on sand. I had an advantage on the hard court in the hall of Filderstadt, and I was able to use it for a sovereign second victory.
# IMG2 #
Final against Martina Hingis? "Not believed enough in me"
I was also in the final in 1996 against Martina Hingis, but lost in three sets. This defeat still annoys me today. There was a lot more to it for me. But I just had too much respect and didn't believe enough in myself. This has always been a problem in my career: I was not confident enough in the crucial situations, I often did not trust myself enough.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has always been my favorite tournament in Germany. I always enjoyed playing the other tournaments in Germany, but with very different results. I was never particularly successful in Hamburg and Berlin, but sand wasn't exactly my favorite surface either. Things went better in Filderstadt and later in Leipzig, if not always great. As much as I enjoyed playing in Germany, I was too rarely able to use the home advantage. I mostly put myself under too much pressure - unfortunately.
# IMG3 #
Nevertheless, I look back on my career with pride and satisfaction. When I played my last season in 2001, I really wanted to gain distance, not to do something with tennis again. But Udo Cervellini, then tournament director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, persuaded me to join as the sporting director. I refused a couple of times, put him off later, but he just didn't let go. In retrospect, I am of course very happy that he was so stubborn at the time.
In 2005 Markus Günthardt came on board as tournament director. Since then I have been working very closely and trustingly with him. I am primarily responsible for keeping in touch with the players throughout the year, signing them up for the tournament and looking after them in Stuttgart. During the tournament week, I also coordinate the various activities of the players, such as autograph sessions, and keep in touch with the WTA. Crazy actually: At the beginning I didn't really want this job - and now I've been doing it for 19 years. And I still enjoy it a lot. ”