Former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber celebrated her first success in an individual tournament after her baby break at the WTA tournament in Indian Wells. Tatjana Maria is also in round two.
The 36-year-old won her opening match on Wednesday (March 6, 2024) against the top 60 player Petra Martic from Croatia, who is three years younger, 6:3, 6:4. The former world number one’s next opponent in the round of 64 at the $9.2 million tournament classic is the Latvian world number one Jelena Ostapenko.
Kerber with the hoped-for victory comeback in Indian Wells
Kerber gained an advantage in the first set with her second break and used her second set point after 41 minutes. In the second round, the opponents lost their service once again before Kerber broke again in the fifth game and thus practically made the decision. After a total playing time of 91 minutes, the left-hander converted her second match point.
Kerber: “Feels so good to be here again”
“It’s great, it feels so good to be back and playing in front of you and giving it everything I’ve got“said Kerber after her game on Center Court. “I tried to move well and hit the ball downfield. It’s not that easy without a lot of match practice, I try to stay here as long as possible and get as many matches as possible.”
For Germany’s former number one, who had fallen below 600th place in the rankings after her break, the knot broke as hoped against Martic. Kerber became a mother for the first time a year ago and has been back on the tennis tour since the beginning of the year. After taking part in the United Cup at the beginning of the year, Kerber made her tournament comeback as a soloist at the subsequent Australian Open after an 18-month career break, but was just as unable to master her first round task as she was at the WTA tournament in Linz, Austria at the end of January .
Also Tatjana Maria in round two
Tatjana Maria also managed her first round hurdle against the Dutch Arantxa Rus with 7:6 (7:5), 6:2 ultimately safely in two sets. In her next match, the former Wimbledon semi-finalist will face number 13 seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini.
At the men’s ATP Masters, which is taking place at the same time in Indian Wells, Dominik Koepfer was eliminated in the first round. The Furtwangener lost to Alexander Shevchenko from Kazakhstan after a hard fight and 2:10 hours 3:6, 6:1, 6:7 (3:7).
Yannick Hanfmann successfully fought his way into the second round. The Karlsruher won against Pedro Cachin from Argentina 6:7 (7:9), 6:4, 6:1 and will now face Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands.
Struff and Zverev with a bye in the first round
Daniel Altmaier (Kempen) will also be in action at the tournament, which is worth $11,918,990. Only in the second round do Olympic champions Alexander Zverev (Hamburg) and Jan-Lennard Struff (Warstein) enter after a bye.