Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Angie Kerber "on the right track" after Stuttgart-Aus
Angelique Kerber was eliminated in the round of 16 at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. But her performances have given me courage - and she doesn't have to leave Stuttgart yet.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Apr 22, 2021, 10:24 pm
It was a strong performance that Angelique Kerber made on Thursday evening in the Stuttgart Porsche Arena, but in the end the winner was Elina Svitolina - for the seventh time in a row, by the way, when the two had met since 2016.
Kerber, currently number 25 in the WTA ranking, held up well against the 20 ranks better placed Ukrainian, fought bravely and performed offensively, the forehand longline always reminded of the good old days. Even if it was 6: 7 (4) and 3: 6 not enough for the quarter-finals.
"She gave me air to breathe, not a second," Kerber paid her opponent in great respect. In the second sentence she, Kerber, relaxed briefly. “She felt that. And there she was quickly 4: 1 in front. "
Kerber: "Lockdown set me back two months"
Nevertheless, and in view of the last few weeks and months, Kerber seems to be on the right track, which she confirmed in precisely these words. The body language was also right in Stuttgart, the fist was there, the "come on" after successful points. "I still work hard, I just need patience," said Kerber. But it was a good match for a good feeling on the way to Paris. Or first: to Madrid.
At the beginning of the year, Kerber had spoken of one of the best preparations in recent years, but this was suddenly ruined: Kerber had sat in one of the aircraft whose occupants in Melbourne had to stay in the tough quarantine for 14 days . "This lockdown set me back two months," said Kerber, "from tennis, but also from my head." After Australia, she "had to go through a second preparation," said the woman from Kiel.
But now she can feel that things are moving forward, that the training units are bringing something. The next step should follow. "It's about implementing that in the matches, sometimes winning a game like this."
And anyway: The Stuttgart excursion of the two-time winner (2015, 2016) is not over yet. At the side of Andrea Petkovic, Kerber is still in doubles, the two meet Vivian Heisen and Yafan Wang in their second game in the late afternoon.
Here the single tableau in Stuttgart
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart: players, prize money, draw, TV
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