Australian Open: Hammerless for Siegemund, feasible tasks for Zverev and Kerber
The draw for the Australian Open has taken place. From a German point of view, there are quite pleasant tasks to report as well as absolutely awesome lots.
by SID / tennisnet
last edit: Feb 05, 2021, 05:08 pm
The draw for the first round of the Australian Open made Laura Siegemund extremely difficult. The 32-year-old from Metzingen meets the 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams from the USA. However, Williams is apparently ailing, she canceled her semifinal participation in a preparatory tournament in Melbourne due to shoulder problems.
"It will sell as dearly as possible and must hope that Serena will initially bring a little nervousness to the tournament," said Barbara Rittner, head of women at the German Tennis Association (DTB), the SID: "But that is a very ungrateful one Task you don't want to get. "
Good lot for Zverev and Kerber
The German top players Alexander Zverev (23 / Hamburg) and Angelique Kerber (33 / Kiel), on the other hand, had comparatively easier first tasks. The world number seven Zverev first meets Williams' compatriot Marcos Giron (27 / ATP-73.), Kerber to her compatriot Bernarda Pera (26 / WTA-63.).
Even in round two, Zverev would probably not face the really big test. The Hamburg native would have to deal with Maxime Cressy or Taro Daniel before the unpleasant French Adrian Mannarino would wait in round three according to the seeding list. In the quarter-finals, there could be a big clash with Novak Djokovic, to whom Zverev was only defeated in three sets on Friday night.
Kerber, on the other hand, would have a really difficult task to master in the third round at the latest, as it would go against last year's finalist Garbine Muguruza according to the seeding list. Before that, Kerber would meet the winner of the duel between Zarina Diyas and Tamara Zidansek in round two.
Köpfer with a possible duel with Thiem
Yannick Hanfmann also got a tricky lot. The 29-year-old from Karlsruhe will meet the seventh-placed Russian Andrej Rublew, while Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (Vaihingen / Enz) will face number 20 of the tournament, Felix Auger-Aliassime. "The draws are okay for individual rounds, but overall they are crisp," said Michael Kohlmann, men's boss at the DTB to the SID.
Andrea Petkovic also got a seeded player, the 33-year-old from Darmstadt meets the Tunisian Ons Jabeur. Dominik Koepfer could already face a duel with US Open winner Dominic Thiem (Austria) after a first round win against the Bolivian Hugo Dellien. - The first round matches with German participation: