Julia Görges - "2019 was the most difficult year"
Julia Görges opens in Linz this week. After their first-round success against Margarita Gasparjan, the German number two summed up their season not going as desired.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Oct 09, 2019, 05:05 pm
By Jörg Allmeroth from Linz
When Julia Görges won the Auckland tournament against a certain Bianca Andreescu in January, the German world-class player could have imagined a lot for 2019. Returning to the top ten, strong Grand Slam appearances, maybe even taking part in the WTA Finals. But when the eight best of the season fight for the unofficial world title in Shenzhen, China, at the end of October, Görges has a completely different job. The second best German in touring, who in the meantime even ranked in front of Angelique Kerber in the pecking order of tennis professionals at the end of 2017, has to solve the riddles of a sometimes very disappointing season and analyze the causes of her repeated lack of shape. And above all, she has to bring new impetus to her currently stagnant career with new minds. "I want to have a few more good years. I still love this sport with all my heart, "says Görges, currently number 27 on the tennis charts," now it's about making the right decisions in terms of personnel. "
If Görges looks back on 2019, the last almost ten months, then one thing is clear to the long-time international: "It was the most difficult, challenging, and most interesting year for me." Actually, Görges wanted with the team with which she Year had started to work well into the future, preferably even until the end of his career. But after the French Open there was a break with coach Michael Geserer, the man who had previously led Görges slowly but surely and persistently for three and a half years up to the all-time high in tenth place on the leaderboard and also in the semi-finals of Wimbledon. Görges is silent about exactly what happened in the spring, her whole plans were in any case "upset": "I was personally disappointed and surprised by certain actions." But she did not want to say "bad words" because: “The time before gave me a lot. It was incredibly strong what we all did there. ”What remains is this:“ You learn a lot about people. You learn a lot for your own knowledge of human nature. "
Görges wants to leave the year with a good feeling
Görges has pressed the reset button at some point in the past few weeks and has already set a new beginning internally. It had been decided for a long time that she would make another personal cut after the US Open and part with the current "Team Jule" (interim coach Sebastian Sachs, physiotherapist Florian Zitzelsberger). The fact that the team did not stay together for the last few weeks of the season can perhaps be explained by Görges' statement, "It is imperative to go out of the year with a good feeling", with different faces, a different approach, simply "something new." That New, more precisely: the new - in this case that is a prominent helper, namely Fed Cup captain Jens Gerlach. This week in Linz and then in Luxembourg he will primarily take care of Görges' interests. Very much to the satisfaction of the North Germans, who have now found a new home in Regensburg: "Jens is a super guy, a very, very pleasant person, a calm guy with good specialist knowledge." The interaction, the whole atmosphere is pleasant, says Görges, " this is important for me. I am a harmonious person. "
Görges, who met friend Andrea Petkovic in the second round duel in Upper Austria's capital on Wednesday evening, sees the tasks of the next few weeks - apart from the Center Courts - as sporty: “I know that it will not be easy to get back on track. But that challenges me and I want to attack again at the top, ”says the 31-year-old. The vulnerability analysis has long started, and the search for a coach also started, "there is already a lot going on in the background." Görges is optimistic about this, and feels that looking back on the problem year 2019 could also have its good points: "You can also grow , if you master all these difficulties and start again. ”But first of all, of course, only the principle of hope applies.