WTA Berlin: Is Cori Gauff ready for the first big lawn test?
Cori Gauff meets Karolina Pliskova this Friday in the quarter-finals of the WTA Tour 500 tournament in Berlin (live on TV and live stream on ServusTV in Germany). This match could be groundbreaking for Wimbledon.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Jun 16, 2022, 07:45 pm
Cori Gauff was allowed to warm up a little longer in Berlin in the last few days, the first appearance of the still only 18-year-old American only took place on Wednesday. Gauff mastered this against Ann Li just as easily (even if she unnecessarily had to go into a tie-break in the second set) as against Xinyu Wang in the round of 16. But now a really tough test awaits Gauff: the finalist of the 2021 Wimbledon tournament, Karolina Pliskova.
You can follow all matches from the WTA Tour 500 tournament in Berlin live on TV and live stream on ServusTV in Germany!
After the injury problems at the beginning of the year, the Czech has not quite found her way back to success, and the second-round win against Bianca Andreescu also hung by a thread. But strictly speaking, Pliskova has been the best active grass player over the past twelve months. Ashleigh Barty, who lost to Karolina Pliskova at Wimbledon last year, is known to have given up her tennis racket.
Gauff had no chance against Swiatek in Paris
Good: Of course, you don't know if Iga Swiatek might suddenly remember during the most important lawn tournament how you lose a tennis match on the WTA tour. If not, it will be difficult for the competition. Even if Swiatek doesn't play a preparatory tournament on grass. For Gauff, the meeting with Pliskova is already a real location determination.
Because like the experienced Czech, Cori Gauff has sniffed at least once a very big trophy (Pliskova even twice): with the final participation in Roland Garros. The draw was not bad for the teenager there, as the only seeded player on the way to the final, Gauff had to defeat Elise Mertens. Se did this with flying colours, but had no assignment in the final against Swiatek.
However, Gauff is even better on grass than Terre Battue, in Wimbledon she first drew attention to herself with a win against Venus Williams almost three years ago. When the first serve comes - Gauff is no different than Pliskova - then the current number 13 in the world is a danger for all opponents. In Wimbledon, however, a lot will depend on the draw again. Because like a bogeyman, Serena Williams is silently sailing towards south-west London. And no player wants to take on the 23-time major winner early in the tournament.