Angelique Kerber didn’t immediately know the solution to her sporting low either. Even in front of a home audience and at one of her favorite tournaments in Stuttgart, the best German tennis player did not succeed in the hoped-for turn for the better in what has been a weak season so far.
6: 3, 4: 6, 4: 6 Kerber lost her opening game against world number six Anett Kontaveit from Estonia. For the first time she is not in the second round in her tenth main draw participation in the most important German women’s tournament.
“It was such an important tournament for me to play here again in front of a home crowd. The fact that it was so tight here and I didn’t manage to be on the pitch again, that worries me,” said the German number one.
After the next early defeat, the 34-year-old was in a hurry. Just half an hour after losing the last point against Kontaveit, she faced the press. Her black tracksuit suited her mood.
“Sorry I can’t continue playing here”
She has to process the next setback after a convincing first sentence and due to a too high error rate. “Obviously it’s sad that I can’t continue playing here,” she said.
After the two three-set defeats in Kazakhstan, where she missed the final round in the Billie Jean King Cup with the German selection last weekend, Kerber was looking forward to the performance in Stuttgart.
In 2015 and 2016, Kerber won the title here. In the familiar environment, the world number 17 wanted. get rid of their negative trend now.
In front of 2550 of a maximum of 4500 spectators, it looked like she could actually succeed in this complicated opening task.
Kerber loses the thread after sentence one
At the beginning, the three-time Grand Slam winner played aggressively and forced her game on the not outstanding Stuttgart finalist from 2019. Twice Kerber took the serve from the 26-year-old to 1-0 and 4-1. She then lost two games in a row, but confidently secured the first round.
However, winning the set did not give the 2016 Australian Open and US Open winner any security. She looked questioningly in the direction of her box when she had to accept the set equalization that resulted from an early deficit in the second round. At Kerber, the error rate had increased.
When she had to accept the early break with a double fault in the last set, Kerber waved it off. From 1:4 she fought her way back, but the turnaround was no longer successful. Kontaveit was also an opponent in recent years who did not suit her: Kerber only won one of six games.
Kontaveit does not suit Kerber as an opponent
After her preparation, which was impaired by a corona infection, the former world number one has not yet reached her top form this season.
The 2018 Wimbledon winner lost her opening game at the Australian Open and two other tournaments. The only two victories of the season so far have only come in Indian Wells.
Kontaveit was also an opponent in recent years who did not suit her: Kerber only won one of six games.