The German tennis team around Angelique Kerber is about to miss the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup.
After the opening singles, the selection with the three-time Grand Slam winner at the top in Kazakhstan is 0: 2 behind.
Kerber and Laura Siegemund lost their matches on the clay court in Nur-Sultan – now a duel for relegation is imminent.
Kerber lost to world number 52. Yulia Putintseva 6:3, 3:6, 2:6. Siegemund then had no chance against the Kazakh number one Elena Rybakina at 0: 6, 1: 6.
On Saturday (from 9:00 a.m. CEST) two more singles and one doubles are scheduled, each further defeat means the end of the final round (November 8th to 13th) and a nail-biter in the playoffs to remain among the top teams (November 11th to 13th). ./November 12th).
Angelique Kerber’s crisis continues
For Kerber, the weak spring continues after their preparation, which was impaired by Corona. Her only two wins of the season come at Indian Wells.
At the Australian Open, in Qatar and Miami it was over after the first match. After a good start and almost two hours of play against Putintseva, she conceded her first defeat in the third meeting.
Siegemund had recently won two titles and self-confidence in doubles, but after a long knee injury she lacks match practice, which was shown in the match against Rybakina, number 19 in the WTA ranking.
Cancellation by Andrea Petkovic
After Andrea Petkovic’s cancellation, Jule Niemeier and Anna-Lena Friedsam are still in the German squad. Kerber and Rybakina are expected to play the first match on Saturday.
Germany has twice won the women’s team competition, formerly known as the Fed Cup (1987 and 1992). Eight years ago, the team was in the final (1: 3 in the Czech Republic), even then with Kerber in first place.
Last year, for the first time, a final tournament was held for the twelve best teams. In Prague, Kerber and Co. were eliminated in the group phase.