Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal are returning to the tennis tour after long breaks. While the Spanish superstar is preparing to say goodbye to professional sport, the players want to celebrate as much success as possible.
The beginning of the tennis year in Australia casts its shadows, the global tennis circus is picking up speed again. And there are again three very well-known players who tennis fans may have missed last year.
Finally, Angelique Kerber (3), Naomi Osaka (4) and Rafael Nadal (22) come to a total of 29 Grand Slam-Title back on the women’s (WTA) and men’s (ATP) tour. But can this even succeed?
“The crucial question will be how big the fire is that still burns in the three of them and how much energy they still feel within themselves to continue on their path again.”says Andreas Maurer, former world-class player and professional coach (including Marc-Kevin Goellner), to the Sportschau. “Because that is the absolute prerequisite for being able to play at the highest level again.”
Many unknowns for Kerber
Angelique Kerber has even had a year and a half break. A very long span. Especially in an athlete’s life, where the time factor is already very limited. But Kerber wants to know again. At 35 years old and after the birth of her daughter Liana. For the start of her new career as a tennis professional and mother, Kerber chose the United Cup (December 29th, 2023 – January 7th, 2024) in Australia, a team competition for women and men.
In Sydney The former world number one will compete for Germany alongside Alexander Zverev, among others. There are now some unknowns in the (tennis) life of the Bremen native. For example: How will daughter Liana cope with the long journey and the time change? How does she herself deal with this new situation?
“Of course I’m really happy. But of course I’m also a little excited because I can’t estimate where I’m at, what it’s all going to be like.”said Kerber shortly before Christmas. She prepared for her comeback with her old, new coach Torben Beltz at her academy in Puszczykowo, Poland.
She will play less than before, approach the tournaments more consciously and prepare for them as best as possible Australian Open (14th – 28th January 2024). “I also have to give myself time. I can’t expect to play my best tennis straight away in Australia”said Kerber.
Unusual pressure during matches
It is this uncertainty that professional athletes always have to live with. Especially in the mentally challenging sport of tennis. Are they prepared well enough? Is their performance level sufficient to be competitive? And especially now, after this long time without competitive tennis, the self-doubt among the comebackers is likely to be even greater than it already is. The road back to the heights of tennis is likely to be extremely difficult for all three players.
“It is of course very difficult to get back to your old fitness level after such a long time. This torture to get back there is very hard.”said the head national coach of the German Tennis Federation (DTB), Michael Kohlmann, to the Sportschau with a view to all three comebackers.
“Training is one thing. But playing matches and feeling this pressure again is another challenge,” said Kohlmann. And that is, above all, something that no one can simulate in training sessions.
But Kohlmann still has a lot of confidence in Kerber in particular – even if not everything works out immediately in her comeback: “I could imagine that it would take a certain amount of time for Angelique to have the will to go beyond her own limits again. But then it can reach a very high level again. I hope it turns out what she imagines.”
Osaka has high goals
Naomi Osaka has set herself very high goals for the new phase of her life. “I don’t want to come back if I can’t play at a certain level”said Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter Shai last summer.
Eight more Grand SlamThe 26-year-old Japanese woman has set herself the goal of winning the title. She also wants to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. At the tournament in Brisbane (December 31st to January 7th), Osaka will make her comeback on the hard court there.
The fact that she is now putting herself under so much pressure is also surprising because Osaka will still be with the team in 2021 French Open dropped out because, according to her own statements, she could no longer cope with the mental pressure. But mental strength is a basic requirement to be resilient and successful in top tennis.
“In competitive sports, your mental state always decides, no matter what age you are.”says Maurer, looking at more than 40 years of experience on the professional tour. “The incredible hunger for success and the individual’s great ability to suffer, especially when you come back, make the difference in the end. And Osaka now wants to prove, after being somewhat fragile, that she is mentally strong.”
Nadal and his dignified farewell
That might be the biggest question comeback by Rafael Nadal. The Spanish superstar’s various physical problems and injuries are well known. He also had a long, year-long break, but now seems to have recovered physically.
“I would like to end it differently, not in a press room.”said the 37-year-old. Nadal’s sporting spirit is extremely strong. In Brisbane the Spaniard wants to serve under competitive conditions again.
He worked hard for this. “I’m very excited to see what Rafael Nadal is capable of. He is very experienced and he certainly wouldn’t compete if he wasn’t competitive. His goal should be to finish the second week at the Grand Slams to reach”says DTB head coach Kohlmann.
Nadal is probably the one of the three comebackers who sees the end of his career most clearly on the (tennis) horizon, even if he has not officially set a limit for himself. And Nadal is therefore fighting above all to give himself a worthy farewell.
“I think Nadal’s deepest dream is to play a good role in Paris again. In his living room, where he celebrated such incredible successest,” says Maurer.
Early career end possible
However, it is far from certain that all of these planned comebacks will work out the way the protagonists imagine.
“You have to know that it’s a very hard road for all three of them. But after one or two tournaments, these players know exactly where the journey is going.”says Maurer. A premature end to your career cannot therefore be ruled out.