Melbourne – Alexander Zverev left Melbourne pensive. On Monday, the Olympic tennis champion, who had shown so much promise but failed miserably in Australia, made his way home.
With him, hopes that German men’s tennis could celebrate a Grand Slam triumph for the first time since Boris Becker in 1996 also departed. His loss in the last 16 at the Australian Open raised doubts as to when (or whether) Zverev would actually be ready for the big coup. In addition, the elimination of the model athlete and last remaining participant also brought this question into focus: What is wrong with German tennis?
“If you look at it realistically, it’s bad in terms of the number of people playing tennis in Germany,” criticised veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber (38) during the dreary days in Melbourne from the German point of view: “There is very little coming up. You simply have to take a critical look at why that is. “
Only one player in the Top 50
There is only one top German player in men’s tennis at the moment: world number three Zverev. He is the only one in the world’s top 50. “You have to question that, that’s where you have to start,” said men’s head Michael Kohlmann, who became unemployed Down Under earlier than he would have liked. “Tennis is an important sport in Germany. Of course, our ambition has to be to stand better. No question.” But he doesn’t want to see the situation too black: “Tennis in Germany is not on the brink.”
Without Zverev, the German team reached the Davis Cup semi-finals in November. And in September, a men’s trio (Zverev, Oscar Otte, Peter Gojowczyk) reached the last 16 of the US Open – the first time since Wimbledon 1997. But this Grand Slam performance also shows that German tennis is dependent on upward breakaways from outsiders. And are younger players following suit?
Behind Zverev in the world rankings are Jan-Lennard Struff (31 years/52nd) and Dominik Koepfer (27/53rd). The only professional under 25 in the top 100 is Daniel Altmaier (23/87th). Another talent in the top 200? Not a chance. Rudi Molleker (21/380th), once hyped in youth, does not (yet) meet expectations.
Boris Becker is worried
“I am worried about the young German talent. I don’t see any of the younger ones among the top 50 – but that’s the bar!” criticised Germany’s tennis legend Boris Becker some time ago in the podcast “Das Gelbe vom Ball” of the TV channel Eurosport and criticised “very entrenched” association structures. But the three-time Wimbledon winner also called for more commitment from young talent: “Younger players often forget that Federer, Djokovic and Nadal were also training world champions above all.” Kohlmann would like to see more tournaments in Germany and said, “What we need to question is whether we only promote up to 18.”
Things also look bleak for the women behind three-time Grand Slam tournament winner and former world number one Angelique Kerber (34/20). In the world rankings, Jule Niemeier (22/129th) is the only German player under 25 to be listed in the top 200. She lost her qualifying final in Melbourne. In the women’s singles, there is a long-known problem that there is a big gap behind the golden generation around Kerber, also because several players have dropped out for various reasons.
For the Australian Open, it could have been assumed that Zverev would be so much in the limelight that he would outshine the worries about young talent. The Hamburg native had hoisted himself into the circle of Grand Slam title contenders, but disappointed. Thus, the first week, which had started with the elimination of the three ladies Kerber (34), Andrea Petkovic (34) and Tatjana Maria (34), had come to a dreary end.
The only singles match with German participation at the beginning of the second week took place on the small side court five. It was a success for the only 16-year-old Carolina Kuhl that she made it to the last 16 with a 4:6, 6:3, 6:4 against the Canadian junior Annabelle Xu. In the juniors, the only German participant had lost in the first round.
