Kerber returns to Wimbledon, where she was crowned champion six years ago, without a sense of achievement. This time, her performance is accompanied by enormous skepticism
When Angelique Kerber steps onto the spruced-up Wimbledon court after the disappointments of recent weeks, she might have a few things on her mind.
There would be the first-round defeats in Berlin and Bad Homburg, which completely derailed her preparation for the grass-court classic starting on Monday. But there was also her great triumph, which will always make this historic venue special for her. In 2018, she celebrated the title at Wimbledon when she beat tennis star Serena Williams. She had already reached the final two years earlier.
“Not a nice feeling “
Kerber will now be competing at Wimbledon as a mother for the first time. Prospects of success like in the past are a long way off – and yet she’s not stopping yet. “Of course it’s sad and disappointing that I’m now out in the first round, especially here in Bad Homburg,” said the 36-year-old when she lost 5:7, 3:6 to Russian talent Diana Schneider exactly one week before the start of the grass court classic.
“Nevertheless, I will try to take the positives with me now and look towards Wimbledon and try to get everything out of it,” said Kerber, “but of course it’s not a nice feeling when you lose at home in the first round.” She openly admitted that she made “too many easy mistakes” in the decisive moments against the 16 years younger Russian. “I felt good. I prepared well, I did everything I could to play well,” she said. And yet it wasn’t enough.
The 2016 Australian Open and US Open winner has been looking forward to the grass court season since her comeback at the turn of the year, when she started traveling with her daughter Liana. She wanted to attack again on her favorite surface. At the start of the short season, she reassured herself that she didn’t want to “put any pressure” on herself. But she also said confidently: “I know that I can play well.” And: “Turf is simply my surface. “
Missed the target before Wimbledon
The home crowd in Berlin and Bad Homburg, where she is also a tournament ambassador, was supposed to give her an extra boost. But now she will go into her first round match at Wimbledon without a successful experience on the green surface. She has clearly missed her goal of getting as many matches on grass as possible. In Berlin, Kerber lost in three sets to Linda Noskova (19) – like the Russian Schneider (20), the Czech is from a different generation.
The former head of women’s tennis in Germany, Barbara Rittner, nevertheless considers Kerber to be an unpleasant opponent and has high hopes for her. “Nobody wants to play against Angie at Wimbledon,” said the Berlin tournament director: “She has been in excellent condition recently. Both in terms of her game and her fitness level. She knows Wimbledon, she loves the surface and of course she needs a little bit of luck in the draw. “
Many defeats after baby break
At Wimbledon in 2021, Kerber achieved her best Grand Slam result since her third Grand Slam title in 2018 by reaching the semi-finals. This year, she has not made it past a Grand Slam round at either the Australian Open or the French Open. If she is also eliminated in the opening round at Wimbledon, Liana will help her to digest the defeat. “That feeling when you’ve lost doesn’t last as long,” said the young mother: “Tennis has moved to second place. Someone else is in first place.”
