Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Nastasja Schunk is rewarded for a strong performance
The favorites prevailed on the first day of the main round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - and a young player from the Porsche Talent Team said goodbye to the first WTA tournament of her young career with a strong performance in the Stuttgart Porsche Arena.
by PM
last edit: Apr 20, 2021, 08:18 am
If the first individual of the day had been played in front of spectators - Nastasja Schunk's hearts would have flown. The 17-year-old young player, who made such a strong impression with her two victories in qualifying, also fought against Belinda Bencic to the end and fought bravely. At 4: 6 in the first set she held up well and got her chances against number 12 in the WTA world rankings. But then the Swiss turned up and won the second round easily 6: 2, although her young opponent never gave up and fended off a total of five match points.
Belinda Bencic was asked after the match if she had surprised Nastasja Schunk's strong resistance - and she paid her opponent the best compliment when she replied: “No, I'm not surprised that it was such a difficult match. Nastasja is a great talent, she played well and gave me some problems. There is still a long way to go, but if she continues like this, I have great confidence in her. ”Nastasja Schunk was also satisfied with her performance:“ That was another step in the right direction. I could have put Belinda under even more pressure, but on the whole I'm just happy that I got the wildcard for the qualification and thus this great chance. ”With a smile, she also revealed what it was all about We will give an evening for a reward for their strong performance: "I'll treat myself to a little chocolate."
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix also ended prematurely for Andrea Petkovic on Monday. Against Maria Sakkari, the number 19 in the world, the Darmstadt woman, who had moved into the main field of the traditional Stuttgart tournament with a wildcard, had no real chance and clearly lost 2: 6, 2: 6. The Greek, who has already beaten numerous top players this year and most recently fought her way to the semi-finals in Miami, is playing in Stuttgart for the first time and praised the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in an interview in the highest tones. Why didn't she stop by the Porsche Arena earlier? "Unfortunately that didn't work," she said, "I wasn't good enough for this great tournament then."
The number 1 in the world also served for the first time in the Porsche Arena on Monday. The Australian Ashleigh Barty , winner of the “Porsche Race to Shenzhen” and the WTA Finals in 2019, easily advanced one lap in doubles with Jennifer Brady (USA).
Kvitova versus Brady on Diensta
In the top duel of the first round, the defending champion is honored on Tuesday: Petra Kvitova meets the Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady from the USA. With Laura Siegemund and Mona Barthel, two players from Porsche Team Germany face each other - the 2017 tournament winner against the 2019 doubles winner. "I'm looking forward to my first match," said Laura Siegemund. “With an audience it would of course be ten times better. But it's still Stuttgart, it's still great. ”Her team-mate Anna-Lena Friedsam has the best chance of advancing against the Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri. Julia Middendorf's dream also continues: The player from the Porsche Junior Team is facing a tough opponent: Anett Kontaveit from Estonia made it to the final in 2019.
Here the single tableau in Stuttgart
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