Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Angelique Kerber with the "special feeling"
Angelique Kerber's start to the season was disappointing. At the home game in Stuttgart, the three-time Grand Slam winner finally wants to pick up speed.
by SID
last edit: Apr 19, 2021, 03:04 pm
This special feeling is there again immediately. The cheers of the audience and the happy moments of their triumphs come up in Angelique Kerber as soon as she enters the Center Court in Stuttgart. Despite all the Corona deprivations, it actually seems the perfect place for the 33-year-old from Kiel to turn things around in a season that has been difficult to date.
"The feeling was there from day one that I was playing at home," said Kerber before the WTA tournament in Swabia this week. Your athletic expectations are still subdued. Too little has come together so far in 2021 for the German number one. At the home game, she cannot rely on the support of the spectators this time. And then there is still a problematic relationship.
Kerber wins twice in Stuttgart
Namely the one on the sand, a surface with which she has been rather unfamiliar with in the past few years. "Sand and I - I don't know what's going to happen this year," said the woman from Kiel with a laugh, but was optimistic: "I've trained well in the last few weeks. What I'm missing are of course matches, including matches that I win. In general, I feel good. "
In 2015 and 2016 she had triumphant moments in Stuttgart, a tournament victory this week would be a real surprise. After her first round at the Australian Open, Kerber managed a maximum of one victory each in her three subsequent tournament appearances. And the competition on the Neckar is enormous. "We are the strongest tournament in the world, like a second tournament week in a Grand Slam," said tournament director Markus Günthardt.
Barty leads the competition
World number one Ashleigh Barty (Australia) is waiting for Laura Siegemund (Metzingen), who won the tournament in 2017, or Mona Barthel (Bad Segeberg). Simona Halep, number three in the world, is also one of the favorites, as is Jelina Switolina. The Ukrainian could become Kerber's second opponent if the top German player masters her opener against Jekaterine Gorgodse (Georgia) as expected.
The three-time Grand Slam winner has to get by at least without acoustic support from her fans this time. "The fans are there in their heads and in their hearts," said the three-time Grand Slam winner of her special tactics: "I know that the fans are sitting in front of the TV screens at home. I just imagine that the fans are watching me are. "
Here is the individual table at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
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