Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Markus Günthardt and Anke Huber - "A different level than five or six years ago"
Tournament Director Markus Günthardt and Sport Director Anke Huber have summed up the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2022.
by Florian Goosman from Stuttgart
last edit: Apr 24, 2022, 01:26 pm
Above all, Günthardt was grateful for the return of the spectators to the Porsche Arena. The 2020 edition had failed, and in 2021 they had played without an audience - "this dead silence, that was exhausting," says Günthardt. He is always asked what makes the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix so special, why the players love to come. "That's why. We also get this feedback from the players themselves.”
Of course, this year the record numbers of around 32,000 spectators from 2019 were still a long way off, Günthardt gave the current estimate of 25,000 spectators. “Of course, I'm only satisfied if there isn't a free seat here for nine days. We didn't have that. But Saturday was almost sold out, and Sunday is also looking very good. And the advertising this year was also rather cautious. Something that should change again for 2023.
Player field in 2022 "the perfect mix"
The field of players was objectively one of the best again - nine professionals from the top ten were announced, due to two cancellations there were seven top 10 players in the end. However, Günthardt was particularly impressed by the "unique mix". "Petra Kvitova was here for the ninth time, as well as Karolina Pliskova, Angie Kerber, Laura Siegemund. Then the new stars, like Iga Swiatek, new faces that have already established themselves, like Paula Badosa. And the next generation too Emma Raducanu and Coco Gauff, who is in the doubles final, as well as the young German players."
In the TV and streaming area, Eurosport and the Tennis Channel broadcast, as well as the online stream via Porsche TV with Elmar Paulke, with four different camera perspectives that fans could choose from. "As viewers, we also need the Next Gen," says Günthardt. "I see it with my children, they all watch it on their cell phones. It has to be fast, interactive and exciting, then they'll be there. We're trying to build on that."
Anke Huber: "German school system is incredibly tough"
Anke Huber looked just as happy at the sporting progress, the good performances of the German players, the many tight matches. "I have been asked several times how women's tennis has developed, how fast it has become. It's a different level than five or six years ago." For two years she was hardly able to follow live tennis herself, "always exciting to see for me too: an Iga Swiatek, how she plays, what has changed there. It's just different whether you're watching TV or watching it live."
She also felt the importance of the tournament for the players. Maria Sakkari, who had to give up her match against Laura Siegemund due to injury, "said goodbye to us the next day, she cried in our office and explained that she was not one to give up and that she was so sorry."
Huber also justified the fact that Iga Swiatek at the age of 20 was already number 1 in the world, that the German players might need some more time, with the German school system, which is incredibly tough. "It's almost impossible to do competitive sports there. There are no boarding schools, no real system that is supportive. So you have to give our girls a year or two more.” Andrea Petkovic, Angelique Kerber and Julia Görges also needed their time, “they weren’t in the top 10 at the age of 20 either.” Huber, however, was impressed by them Performances by the youngsters around Eva Lys, Nastasja Schunk or Jule Niemeier.
Qualifying field should remain at 16 players
A new feature this year: the smaller qualifying field: otherwise 32 players had always fought for a place in the main field, last year 24, this time only 16. If Günthardt has his way, it should stay that way, because the Billie Jean King Cup is on the same weekend turn everything upside down. For years, no main draw matches could be scheduled on Monday because the last qualifying round had to be played, but many players could neither play qualifying nor arrive early due to the international match.
Of course, larger fields offer more jobs for the players. "But if we have a cut-off of 500, like last year, then that doesn't fit the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix." Six qualifiers and two lucky losers played in the main draw. "It's better to have fewer - and therefore better staffed," is Günthardt's hope for the 2023 edition.