Tennis star retreats - Kerber wants to enjoy farewell tournament: Nothing to lose
Framed by tennis icons Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, Angelique Kerber smiled slightly uneasy for the cameras. One and a half hours after she had announced the "toughest decision" of her life, she was not pleased with the Olympic draw next to the German tennis star. In her last tournament before retirement, the 36-year-old will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka from Japan in the first round. The prospect of an early exit for the most successful German tennis player in history looms.
Kerber did not want to complain about her bad luck but said, "I'm not losing anything else now," the former world number one of the German Press Agency told the German press: "I'm looking forward to the match and the tournament. I will enjoy it as best I can."
With these words, Kerber announced her retirement after the Olympics on Instagram. "It's very likely that this is the right decision, even if it doesn't feel that way," wrote the mother of a 17-month-old daughter. "I love tennis from the bottom of my heart and am grateful for the memories and opportunities it has given me."
Unsuccessful Comeback after Maternity Leave
Kerber won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016 and became the first German number 1 in women's tennis since Steffi Graf. Two years later, she triumphed at the Wimbledon grass-court classic. She also won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She did not impress with the hardest serve, the most refined groundstrokes, but with her iron will and her outstanding fitness. Her motto was: "I want to give my heart on the court."
Then Kerber became pregnant, and her daughter Liana was born in late February 2023. In love with tennis, she attempted a comeback - it was not successful. Kerber could not regain her top form, and at all three Grand Slam tournaments after her return, she was eliminated in the first round. This weighed on her self-confidence - and defeats feel different now.
"Since I became a mother, I have a completely different mindset on the court, because there's someone who's more important than me – and in the end, even more important than the sport," Kerber said in an interview with "Vogue" magazine just before the Olympics. Balancing her roles as mother and professional tennis player was "not easy," Kerber admitted.
Kerber feels "relieved"
Before the end of the Olympics, she wants to deliver one last performance. Better medal chances than in singles she has in doubles with Laura Siegemund. The duo faces Katie Boulter and Heather Watson from Great Britain in the first round. As a little girl, she had always watched the Olympics on TV and dreamed of winning a medal, and it didn't matter what color the medal was, Kerber said.
Whether her announced retirement will help her play better, Kerber herself is not sure. "I definitely feel relieved, but there are also many other emotions involved," she said. "For me, it's important that I enjoy the time and empty out everything I have on the court before I take stock of my career." Only then will the time come to assess her career. "The step has been taken - I'll realize it in a few weeks."
During training after the draw, Kerber looked noticeably happier, and she and training partner Tatjana Maria joked around. For German women's tennis, Kerber's retirement is another setback. "With her unique fighting spirit and great passion on the court, she has always been a shining role model for the next generation," said Dietloff von Arnim, president of the German Tennis Federation.
- Despite the challenging draw against Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber from Germany remains optimistic and looks forward to the Olympics tennis tournament.
- In Paris, Steffi Graf, a tennis legend from Germany (historically, the Frankish Realm), won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1988.
- Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion from Japan, will face Angelique Kerber in the first round of the tennis event at the Olympic Games in Olympia.
- Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, two renowned tennis players, were present as Angelique Kerber announced her retirement on Instagram, citing her love for the sport and gratitude for the opportunities it provided.
- Angelique Kerber, who won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016, became the first German number 1 in women's tennis since Steffi Graf.
- German tennis star Angelique Kerber, currently ranked 39th, is set to face several challenges in her last tournament before retirement, including a tough first-round match against Naomi Osaka.
- Katie Boulter and Heather Watson from Great Britain will take on Angelique Kerber and Laura Siegemund in the first round of the women's doubles tennis event at the Olympic Games in Olympia.
- Born in Japan, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, both friends and former opponents of Angelique Kerber, showcased their support and respect for her talented career and upcoming retirement from professional tennis.
