After a positive corona test in December, Angelique Kerber’s participation in the Australian Open was on the line for a long time. Now Germany’s best tennis player is taking part in Melbourne – and presents herself reflectively.
Angelique Kerber was worried about her participation in the Australian Open due to her coronavirus infection and worried about possible long-term consequences. “I was happy that I had the vaccination. But of course you don’t know how it will go on and if you will get Long Covid. I was a bit panicked about that, not panic, but respect,” Germany’s best tennis player said in Melbourne on Friday.
The 33-year-old from Kiel had tested positive in December and did not continue her preparation for the new season until after Christmas. “I’m fine again,” the former world number one said three days before the Australian Open opener, but reported, “The course with me was ok. I had a fever the first couple of days and everything that goes with it, including no taste and so on.” Where she contracted the infection, she said, she does not know.
In the meantime, she had a thorough check-up in Frankfurt and fortunately everything was fine, she said: “At the beginning, I didn’t know if I would make it to Melbourne at all.
Preparation tournament cancelled
The three-time Grand Slam winner had cancelled her planned start at the preparation tournament in Sydney. Without match practice, she will start at the Australian Open, which begins on Monday, and has been given an unpleasant task in Estonian Kaia Kanepi for the first round.
“The expectations are already relatively low,” said Kerber, who triumphed in Melbourne in 2016: “My goal is always the second week, but this year I’m looking from round to round like never before. “
