Nur-Sultan (dpa) – Angelique Kerber is still not too good for this team competition. Almost 15 years after her debut in the selection, the German number one leads the German tennis players this weekend in the Billie Jean King Cup in Kazakhstan.
In Nur-Sultan on April 15th and 16th it is all about qualifying for the final round of the formerly Fed Cup competition by beating the hosts. In an interview with the German Press Agency, Kerber (34) spoke about the chance for the title and answered the question about the end of his career.
How strong do you think the Kazakhs are?
Angelique Kerber: The number one of the Kazakhs, Jelena Rybakina, is indisputably one of the strongest players on the tour, also because she has been playing at a high level for some time. And otherwise it will not be an easy task for us. In addition, there is the change from hard court to sand, which also represents a special challenge.
The Billie Jean King Cup is one of those big titles you’re missing. How big is the incentive and the chance that it will work out this year?
Kerber: We’ve always come close in recent years, even if the title hasn’t quite worked out so far. It would be a dream for Germany to win the Billie Jean King Cup, but realistically we’re at the very beginning of the upcoming preliminary round and aren’t necessarily among the favourites.
If you succeed in qualifying, will you also plan the final round?
Kerber: It’s always a great honor for me to play for the national team. Nothing changed about that. That’s always a priority for me when planning the season, even if a trip like this one to Kazakhstan, with the long flight and the time difference, is at the expense of my preparation for the tournaments afterwards. But that’s how I’ve handled it my whole career and I’m happy to accept it in order to be available for the German team.
You’ve been without a coach since this season. To what extent is this the right way? How intensively do you look around for a possible coach?
Kerber: I’ve worked with different coaches in recent years and everyone has helped me a little bit. In the current phase of my career I have decided to take on more responsibility and to travel without a permanent coach for the time being. Maybe that will change again at a later date, but at the moment I’m satisfied with the way my team is set up.
The world number one Ashleigh Barty has ended her career completely surprisingly for many. Has anything changed for you and your thoughts about a possible end to your career?
Kerber: Ash Barty’s resignation came as a surprise, even to me, but I have great respect for her decision to end her active career prematurely. I don’t know the background, but it seems that she has fulfilled all wishes on the pitch and now follows her heart and wants to start a new chapter. As far as my future plans are concerned, nothing has changed, in the here and now I do everything I can to get the best out of myself and I look forward to the tasks ahead.
About the person: Angelique Kerber (34) has been the best German tennis player for years. In her most successful season, she triumphed at the Australian Open and the US Open in 2016 and rose to number one in the world for the first time. In 2018, the woman from Kiel, who lives in Puszczykowo, Poland, won Wimbledon.