US Open: Andrea Petkovic - "Actually cried at every training session"
Andrea Petkovic narrowly missed a surprise at the last big performance of her career. The player from Darmstadt could be satisfied with the performance against Belinda Bencic.
by SID
last edit: Aug 31, 2022, 07:35 am
Andrea Petkovic waved to the audience again with tears in his eyes, "Petko, Petko" chants echoed over 7th place in the US Open: The Grand Slam career of the long-standing German number two ended after a bitter opening defeat in New York.
The 34-year-old lost 2: 6, 6: 4, 4: 6 to the Swiss Olympic champion Belinda Bencic on Tuesday despite a big fight over 2:14 hours. The long-running favorite Petkovic had announced before her 48th major that the hard court event in her adopted homeland, where Jule Niemeier was the only German player to reach the second round, would be her last appearance on the big stage.
Back door for Petkovic
"I was really devastated in the last five days and actually cried at every training session," said Petkovic, who could live with her match: "When I won the first game, I felt good." National coach Barbara Rittner paid tribute to Petkovic's merits on the Eurosport microphone: "She has always given the young players a lot, she was great as a person. That's why we will miss her."
Petkovic left a small back door open for another appearance in Europe, but she experienced the special flair of a major for the last time as a professional. Niemeier, on the other hand, can continue to enjoy it, the Dortmund native prevented a collective end for the German professionals. The Wimbledon quarter-finalist prevailed 7: 6 (7: 3), 6: 4 against former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin from the USA. Laura Siegemund had previously lost 4: 6, 4: 6 to the Romanian Sorana Cirstea and Tatjana Maria had already left on Monday.
Here is the individual tableau for women
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