The message ranked at the top of hers Twitter account. Barbara Rittner will be head national coach of the German Tennis Association until the end of 2023 (DTB) remain. The 48-year-old is still the most important contact person for all girls and women who want to play professional tennis at the highest level in Germany. She obviously wanted to point this out herself.
She has held the highest office in German women’s tennis since 2005. Until 2017 Fed Cup-Boss called, afterwards “Head of womens tennis“. “I am proud and highly motivated to continue to play a responsible role for the DTB. I do this with clear ambitions”, said Rittner, the “eternal national coach”, in the press release of the DTB.
Rittner shaped an extremely successful time in German women’s tennis. She helped Angelique Kerber become number one and three in the world Grand SlamTitle. That Andrea Petkovic and Julia Görges die Top ten reached the world and some others advanced to the top of the world. Even if she always emphasized: “There will be no more Steffi Graf “, she nevertheless accompanied a “Golden generation“which is currently not in sight in this pronounced form.
Huge wealth of experience
Rittner herself also continued to develop from her role. She was next to her job at DTB multiple tournament director, shot commercials, regularly acted as a tennis expert on television Grand Slams. And she often finds open words when something needs to be discussed in the tennis world, which is not exactly poor in smaller and larger crises. She is considered idiosyncratic, but clear in her choice of words.
“Barbara Rittner has a wealth of experience both as a player and as a national coach. That makes her an excellent candidate for this position and we are very happy that she will continue her skills in the DTB will bring in “, President Dietloff von Arnim explains the decision of the Presidium.
Experience from all angles
Rittner, who won the youth competition at Wimbledon in 1991 and later on the WTA-Tour won two tournaments and moved up to 24th place in the world rankings, the game actually knows from all angles. She knows all the more that in the coming years she will be particularly challenged if she wants to build on the successes of recent years.
Because in the words of the DTB-President is ultimately not much less than the expectation that the resulting (performance) gap will be closed as soon as possible. Because the end of Kerber’s (33) and Petkovic’s (34) career is probably not too far off. Julia Görges (33) no longer plays professional tennis.
All personnel models played through
A subsequent generation of talents such as Annika Beck (end of career) or Carina Witthöft and Antonia Lottner could not work their way forward as far and build on the successes. The problem also seems to run deeper.
“I would like the next generation to leave their comfort zone more often. To put it badly, a spoiled – to put it nicely, a very sheltered generation”said Rittner in November last year. “When I compare Kerber, Petkovic and Co with the younger players, some of them have a similar level of talent, but the Kerber generation was tougher. Their successes were the result of discipline and perseverance. And here the young players can still learn a lot . But they are on the right track and are working hard on themselves. ”
Rittner has been in her management role at the German Tennis Association for over 16 years. As everywhere after such a long time, people sometimes think about bringing about changes in positions of responsibility. Various personnel models were run through at the association, so you can hear. In the end, the association’s concept was the best fit with the previous head trainer.
The new beginning in German women’s tennis is to be started with Barbara Rittner – the first good results should then be seen in two years.
Status: January 11th, 2022, 8:40 pm