Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Anke Huber - "We are all really looking forward to the tournament"
The Australian Open was the first tennis highlight of the year. In an interview, Anke Huber , Sporting Director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, talks about the winner Ashleigh Barty , the new generation in women's tennis and her dream players for the tournament from April 16th to 24th in the Porsche Arena.
by p.m
last edit:
Feb 07, 2022, 12:54 pm
Anke Huber, last year Ashleigh Barty won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and now also the Australian Open. What do you think of their performance?
Anke Huber: Your victory wasn't really a surprise. She played a sovereign tournament and actually only wobbled briefly against Amanda Anisimova until the final. Otherwise she was vastly superior to her opponents.
The sports-loving Australians have been waiting for an Australian winner since 1978. How did she deal with the enormous pressure, especially in the final against Danielle Collins?
Huber: It was very impressive how she stayed calm in the second set when the score was 1:5 and played the match home. She always has a game plan when she goes on the pitch, you can see that with her. And she sticks to it to the end, no matter what comes next. She was also very confident in this final for her age, she is only 25. Her great class shows how she dealt with the pressure that not only she herself, but also millions of Australians expect victory from her .
What other insights did the Australian Open bring?
Huber: It was nice to see that a new generation is emerging and is slowly closing the gaps left by Serena Williams, for example. I mean players like Iga Swiatek, Barbora Krejcikova and also Amanda Aminisova. If they manage to call up their top performances even more consistently, the future will undoubtedly belong to them. At the moment, however, they cannot challenge Ashleigh Barty for the top spot in the world rankings.
You were in the final of the Australian Open in 1996, your opponent then was the outstanding Monica Seles. What memories do you have of it?
Huber: It was my first Grand Slam final, and in Australia at that, where I've always enjoyed playing. In this respect, it will always remain in my memory, even if I unfortunately couldn't win it.
#IMG2#
As in the previous year, Angelique Kerber had a very unfortunate start to the season. What else do you think the best German tennis player can do this season?
Huber: She traveled to Australia very late because of a corona infection. Of course it was very difficult to play a Grand Slam tournament right away. But when she's fit again and can train, I'll have a lot of confidence in her again this year. Winning against Angie is never easy. She runs and fights, and when she's in a good mood, she makes few mistakes. Even a top player needs a good day to beat her. I am sure that we will see great matches from her again soon.
Let's get back to Ashleigh Barty and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Having them back in Stuttgart this year would certainly be a big win for the tournament.
Hubert: Definitely. The spectators in the Porsche Arena will love them, I'm quite sure of that. Of course we want her to come too. We don't have a definitive commitment from her yet, but it's our turn. In my opinion, the chances are good. She won the tournament last year, the surface suits her and the fact that we play indoors also suits her. She has repeatedly emphasized that she felt comfortable in Stuttgart. When a player has won a tournament it usually means that she has done well, that she has coped well with the place and the conditions and therefore there is really nothing preventing her from coming back the following year.
#IMG3#
You can wish for three players for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Which would you choose?
Huber: In addition to Ashleigh Barty, I would like Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber for our tournament. We already talked about Barty. Osaka is not only a great player, but also a very interesting personality that everyone knows by now. When she is fit and in a good mood, she plays very good tennis. She seemed fit in Australia but lost very unluckily. But I think she's back on the right track. As for Angie, she's perfect for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Our audience has taken them to their hearts and supports them with great enthusiasm. As a two-time Stuttgart winner, she would definitely be a real asset in sport.
It seems that normality has returned to the WTA Tour in these first few weeks of the year. How big are your hopes that it stays that way?
Huber: The new year has started well and I'm actually quite confident that this season can be played through as normal. In any case, we are all very much looking forward to the tournament and to welcoming as many tennis fans as possible to the Porsche Arena again.