Philipp Kohlschreiber - A really great player says goodbye
Philipp Kohlschreiber said goodbye to the tennis scene after losing to Mikhail Kukushkin. There goes a very big one of his guild.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 22, 2022, 11:27 pm
With all the prize money and the constant hunt for world ranking points, tennis remains first and foremost: a game. And with Philipp Kohlschreiber, a man is now leaving the scene who could play better than almost anyone else of his generation. "Play" mind you, because of course someone like Rafael Nadal brought more dynamism and killer instinct to the court than Kohli. But the fine blade? Slice, stop, spin, kick, we wish Philipp Kohlschreiber played it. With almost the same brilliance as Roger Federer, but not as consistently in the crucial phases - and also blessed with fewer winning strokes than the Maestro.
The encounters with Philipp Kohlschreiber were always friendly, often funny. And now and then also marked by surprising findings. The author of these lines in Oberhaching once asked Philipp if he would still play tennis from time to time after the end of his career. Well, yes, with whom would that make sense? Kohli replied at the time. He would hardly find anyone at his level (except of course his long-term partner in crime, Stefan Fehske, who in New York City at 41 degrees Celsius in the shade served him the balls even in long fringed jeans - but only one likes that fantasy of the narrator).
Kohlschreiber brilliant against Zverev and Thiem
In addition to his forehand, which was classified as a lightsaber (by no means independent observers), Fehske also brought at least one quality to the Kohlschreiber team that helped his protégé: namely, the willingness to seek advice from elsewhere. Like Boris Becker, for example.
On a good day, Philipp Kohlschreiber's game was a feast for the eyes. And there have been many good days. Like the one at the US Open when he delivered a brilliant performance against Alexander Zverev in 2018 (if memory doesn't deceive under the tactical direction of Lars Uebel). Dominic Thiem also annoyed Kohlschreiber twice, in 2015 in Kitzbühel at Thiem's home game and the following spring in the final in Munich.
Legendary training with Federer in Halle
In Kitzbühel, his temporary home, Philipp Kohlschreiber won the title twice, in Munich at the MTTC Iphitos there were three, which makes him the record champion there. In total, there were eight trophies that Philipp Kohlschreiber was able to take home, which, given the extraordinary talent of the now 38-year-old, might not have been the maximum.
Also a little reminder: Sometime in Halle on a training ground, on the left the Federer team with Severin Lüthi, on the right Kohlschreiber with Fehske. The most beautiful tennis since the invention of color television is being played, no advantages can be seen for either of the two, emotionally Kohli is even ahead, the few witnesses to this day cannot believe their luck at having been there. A few days later, the two meet in the tournament, Philipp continues to play brilliantly. And then loses in the tie-break of the third set. Like all other 13 games against the Swiss.
It doesn't matter. With the resignation of Philipp Kohlschreiber, German and world tennis loses a player from the very old school. And that's entirely meant as a compliment.