French Open: Siegemund before the match against Kvitova - "I'm looking forward to it"
Laura Siegemund is facing the biggest match of her Grand Slam career to date. Completely new tasks await you against the two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova .
by SID
last edit:
Oct 07, 2020, 01:16 am
Laura Siegemund did without crazy things the day before the biggest match of her Grand Slam career to date. "A casual training session, lots of physiotherapy in the afternoon and putting your feet up," she told SID on Tuesday to prepare for her: "Meanwhile, tactical planning for the upcoming match, then to bed early."
This upcoming match at the French Open against the two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova (12.00 p.m. / Eurosport) has it all. It is the first quarter-finals for Schwäbin Siegemund at their 16th Grand Slam tournament, a moment that the 32-year-old has been working towards for a long time, the very big stage.
The two defending champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies are pushing for them again. The duo from Coburg / Cologne are again in the semi-finals after a 6-4, 6-4 win on Tuesday against the number 13 seeded Britons Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski. "It feels good what we're doing," said Mies. "All the punches are there, we have had many good matches, now we have to regenerate well and clear our head again," added Krawietz.
This also applies to Siegemund, who will be the first German since Andrea Petkovic 2014 to reach the semi-finals in Roland Garros on Wednesday. Accordingly, she analyzed Kvitova's game precisely. The clever match plans are an important factor in their success in Paris.
Siegemund knows: Against the number seven seeded Czech they expect completely different tasks than in the previous tournament. "Petra is a really strong opponent, there is no question about that," said Siegemund: "And it will be completely different from all previous matches that I have played here so far."
So far, Siegemund has mostly dealt with clay court players who play with spin and act tactically. Kvitova lives mainly from her power. "She serves very well and there is no second chance in rallies with her," said Siegemund: "It will be different and I'm looking forward to it."
And something else will be different, more comfortable. Siegemund no longer has to play on one of the outside courts as they did in their 7: 5, 6: 2 round of 16 success against the Spaniard Paula Badosa Gilbert. She will play on the Center Court of Paris, the legendary Court Philippe Chatrier, which has been equipped with a movable roof since this year.
"I'm not unhappy about that," said Siegemund. So far, she has handled the imponderables at the last Grand Slam event of a peculiar tennis year in an outstanding manner.
When it came down to it, Siegemund ignored the cold and wet, sometimes borderline conditions, her persistent back problems and, against Badosa Gilbert, also stomach problems. The focus, including the resistance to pressure, is a great strength of Siegemund, who has a bachelor's degree in psychology. In Paris she always managed to get into the heads of her opponents with her smart style of play.
Siegemund has already been on the way to stir up the elite. In 2016 she reached number 27 in the world rankings, the following year she won the tournament in Stuttgart. Then came the shock of a complex cruciate ligament tear, but the fighter has long since returned and is now calling up her full potential in singles after the US Open title in doubles around three weeks ago.
She is already rewarded with a jump towards the top 50 in the WTA ranking and with a secure 283,500 euros in prize money. In the event of a victory over Kvitova, 425,250 euros would find their way to their account.