Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Barty opened, Petkovic with a difficult task
Industry leader Ashleigh Barty will open the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2021, albeit initially in doubles. A very tough task awaits Andrea Petkovic.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Apr 18, 2021, 10:11 pm
If Julia Görges hadn't decided to end her career last autumn, the chances would be good that the long-time German Fed Cup player would play alongside Ashleigh Barty at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Görges and Barty get on well and had agreed to meet up for repeated pair skating for the season. Then came Corona, then came Görges' resignation.
There was never any doubt that the outstanding doubles player from Australia would find a strong partner. In Stuttgart it became Jennifer Brady , this year already a finalist in the first major in Melbourne. Mind you in detail. Barty and Brady will open the traditional tournament on Monday at 3 p.m. in the Porsche Arena against the two Americans Kaitlin Christian and Sabrina Santamaria.
Then Belinda Bencic goes to the court for the first time, the Swiss meets the German qualifier Nastasja Schunk. Andrea Petkovic does not get serious before 6:30 p.m. The Darmstadt native came into the main field with a wildcard - and, in Maria Sakkari, was drawn from an opponent who has already caused a sensation this year. In Miami, the Greek defeated Naomi Osaka in the quarter-finals, but lost to Bianca Andreescu in the semi-finals in the tie-break of the third set.
Each individual match is shown in a freely accessible live stream on the tournament website at www.porsche-tennis.com . Eurosport will be there from Monday to Friday from 5 p.m., on Saturday there will be the second semi-final from 6.30 p.m. The SWR broadcasts on Wednesday and Thursday from 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m., on Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday from 3.30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Here is the schedule for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Monday