Paralympics Tokyo 2021: With Katharina Krüger only one German at the start
The only German starter at the Paralympic wheelchair tennis tournament in Tokyo, Katharina Krüger, is about to face a difficult opening hurdle.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 27, 2021, 09:38 pm
The line-up of the German Paralympic team at the wheelchair tennis tournament in Tokyo is quite manageable. Only the local figurehead Katharina Krüger (ITF 21) was able to qualify for what is probably the most prestigious event in wheelchair tennis. The 31-year-old from Berlin was not kissed by Fortuna in the draw for the first round, it goes for the current world rankings 21. but against three seeded Dutch Aniek Van Koot (ITF 3). The head-to-head of the two seems almost bizarre - the 31-year-old ex-world number one is leading with 30: 2.
Krüger had competed in Paralympic Games three times in her career. Twice in the round of 16 against the record player Ester Verheer (2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London), in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro Krüger also failed in the round of the last 16 players - this time against the Chinese Huang Huimin. If the German can solve the more than big challenge against Van Koot, she would face either the French Emmanuelle Morch (ITF 30) or the Russian Liudmila Bubnova (ITF 37) in the second round.