Federal bases in Stuttgart and Kamen: Where German tennis hopes train
The future of German women's tennis could find its origin in Stuttgart-Stammheim and Kamen. Because here they train, the most hopeful German tennis ladies, to knock one day at the top: at the top of the world. Both Stuttgart-Stammheim and Kamen are also venues for the German Ladies' Series presented by Porsche.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jun 29, 2020, 09:25 am
At the beginning of the season, the German Tennis Federation announced the young players, who can officially call themselves members of the Porsche Talent Team and the Porsche Junior Team in 2020 - and thus receive “a start-up aid” when starting out in a professional way .
The Porsche Talent Team 2020 currently consists of Katharina Gerlach, Jule Niemeier, Nastasja Schunk, Joelle Steur , Alexandra Vecic and Kamilla Bartone, in the Porsche Junior Team it is Mara Guth, Tea Lukic, Eva Lys, Mia Mack, Julia Middendorf, Sarah Müller, Noma Noha Akugue, Laura Isabel Putz and Angelina Wirges, who want to draw attention to themselves in the coming years.
The difference between the Porsche "talents" and the "Juniors"? Is not only age-related, but also depends on compulsory schooling. Because where the members of the Talent Team can already concentrate fully on tennis, the junior team players also go to school, in case of doubt online.
There are 15 players in total in both teams, "Such a large number would have been unthinkable in the past," said Barbara Rittner, Head of Women's Tennis. "We look after the selected players much more intensely than before, we draw them together more often to courses, we accompany them more regularly to tournaments. Porsche creates important conditions for this individual work. ”
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Rittner: "Optimal training conditions"
As a long-term premium partner of the DTB, the sports car manufacturer is also fully involved in the women's federal bases in Stuttgart and Kamen. Only in February was the sponsorship agreement with the Württemberg Tennis Federation for the state performance center extended. The federal base in Kamen, which is operated by the Westphalian Tennis Association as a performance center, has received Porsche support since 2020. "At both locations, the girls and of course we trainers now have almost optimal training conditions," said Rittner.
There are eight to ten courses per year, between three and seven days you meet in Stuttgart or Kamen. Often with different priorities such as fitness and fitness, explains the former national coach. The coaches are well-known names in the scene. Ex-professionals Dirk Dier and Jasmin Wöhr are on board as permanent DTB coaches, "Dirk is increasingly coming to Kamen for the courses for the U15 players," said Rittner. "The older, that is, the players from the age of 16, are training more and more in Stuttgart with Jasmin Wöhr."
The coach from Alexandra Vecic, namely Torsten Popp, also helps out in the Swabian metropolis, Dinah Pfizenmaier is at the start in Kamen, the 28-year-old is otherwise primarily responsible for the U12 and U14 players of the DTB. In addition, you always fall back on freelance trainers: Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh, for example, the ex-Kerber coach, or Sebastian Sachs, who was still on the tour with Julia Görges in 2019. Rittner himself acts as "a kind of supervisor", but is also on the court.
Speaking of court: It has recently made a lot of looks. In addition to the financial support and vehicles for training and tournament visits, the facilities in Stuttgart and Kamen were also upgraded by Porsche branding of the outside and inside seats as well as the individual design of the premises.
No guarantee of success, but the conditions are right. And the latest impressions too. You could see that the young German tennis players knocking "upstairs" last week at the group games of the German Ladies' Series presented by Porsche: In addition to the established players around Laura Siegemund, Mona Barthel or Anna-Lena Friedsam with Julia Middendorf, Eva Lys from the Porsche Junior Team as well as Katharina Gerlach, Jule Niemeier and Nastasja Schunk from the Porsche Talent Team also bought five youngsters their ticket for the intermediate round from June 30th.
Results, fixtures and all other information about the German Ladies' Series presented by Porsche