Kerber flies on comeback Zverev declares his love for the “holy grass”
02.07.2024, 21:38
Angelique Kerber’s return to Wimbledon ended quickly, losing in the first round without winning a set. Things went much better for Alexander Zverev. The German tennis superstar celebrated a confident victory. Laura Siegemund also reached the second round.
Alexander Zverev spontaneously declared his new love for the “holy turf” of Wimbledon, while Angelique Kerber left feeling very dejected: Less than three hours after the Olympic champion had underlined his title ambitions with his first actions, the 2018 tournament winner suffered another painful defeat at the place she once longed for. Even the “Angie, Angie” chants of her fans on Church Road did not help.
Kerber’s losing streak shows no sign of ending. The three-time Grand Slam winner had to admit defeat to Kazakh world number 35 Yulia Putintseva 5:7, 3:6 in the first round of the classic and was thus eliminated straight away, as was the case in Melbourne and Paris. Zverev, on the other hand, made a confident start around three weeks after losing in the final at the French Open. The Olympic champion beat Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6:2, 6:4, 6:2 and was in great form afterwards.
“I’ve had my problems here over the years. But I feel different now,” said Zverev. “For some reason, I always used to say that I don’t like grass courts. Now I’ve decided that I love them.” Former national coach Barbara Rittner, on the other hand, said on Prime Video that Kerber “doesn’t have enough self-confidence, she’s missing matches.”
Siegemund reveals: Olympic doubles with Kerber
While Kerber and Tatjana Maria were eliminated with a 6:7 (6:8), 5:7 defeat against Briton Katie Boulter, Laura Siegemund was convincing. At 36 years of age, the experienced Swabian is still full of motivation and energy, as she demonstrated in her 6:4, 6:1 win against Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl.
“I’m enjoying it to a certain extent because I’m just not stressing myself out so much anymore,” said Siegemund, who will now face Jelena Rybakina (Kazakhstan), the 2022 tournament winner. Siegemund also revealed that she will play doubles with Kerber at the Olympics in Paris, but that’s a long way off.
Zverev also takes Wimbledon extremely seriously and is more ambitious than ever before at the event, which is clearly his weakest Grand Slam tournament to date. The 27-year-old reached the round of 16 twice, and at the other three majors he was at least in the semifinals. “This is the most open Wimbledon tournament we’ve had in 20 years,” he said again. Perhaps this time he will be the professional who has the perfect two weeks of tournament.
He approached the first round with the appropriate focus, although Carballes Baena was not yet a real test. After Jan-Lennard Struff and Daniel Altmaier, Zverev is the third German professional to reach the second round this year. There, the world number four will face local hero Henry Searle or American Marcos Giron.
2024-07-02 19:38:00
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