Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Eight top ten players at the start
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix brings the stars to Stuttgart: Eight top 10 players and a total of 17 of the top 20 in the world rankings will be playing in the Porsche Arena from April 16th to 24th.
by p.m
last edit:
Mar 25, 2022, 08:56 am
The exclusive starting field of the 45th edition of the traditional tournament also includes the Porsche brand ambassadors Angelique Kerber as the German number 1 and Emma Raducanu, the sensational British winner of the US Open 2021. The main prize for the winner of the WTA 500 tournament is a Porsche Taycan GTS Sport tourism
The entry list published by the WTA is headed by Iga Swiatek from Poland. The 2020 French Open winner is the current number 2 in the world and won the tournament in Indian Wells on Sunday. Her final opponent Maria Sakkari (No. 3) is the first Greek to make it into the top 10 in the world. Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic/No.4) made headlines at the 2021 French Open when she clinched the title in both singles and doubles. Other top 10 players are last year's finalist Aryna Sabalenka (No. 5), Paula Badosa (Spain/No. 6), Anett Kontaveit (Estonia/No. 7), Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic/No. 8), the Stuttgart winner from 2018, and Ons Jabeur (Tunisia/No.10), the first Arab player in the top 10.
Two young players are starting at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix for the first time. The American Cori Gauff, who has just turned 18, is four places behind. Among the 17 top 20 players competing in the Porsche Arena is Danielle Collins (USA/No. 11), who reached the final of the Australian Open in January.
"We have a sensational field and also spectators in the hall again - you couldn't ask for more," says tournament director Markus Günthardt. “It's unbelievable that the top 20 hit us almost all together. But the players feel comfortable with us, so they like to come. We give them conditions in which they can perform at their best and our crowd creates a great atmosphere - whether there are two stars or two qualifiers on the pitch. The players know: You don't experience that kind of atmosphere at many tournaments around the world."
Six Grand Slam winners
In addition to Iga Swiatek, Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu, three other Grand Slam winners will compete in the Porsche Arena: Angelique Kerber won the Australian Open and the US Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2018, Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) triumphed in the French in 2017 Open and Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013. With Angelique Kerber (2015, 2016), Karolina Pliskova (2018) and Laura Siegemund (2017), who received a wildcard, three former Stuttgart winners are at the start.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix begins on Saturday, April 16, with the first qualifying round. The final will take place on April 24th. In Germany, Eurosport broadcasts the most important matches live. There are live streams on the Tennis Channel and on Porsche Tennis TV at www.porsche-tennis.com.