Angelique Kerber called out one last time to her coach Torben Beltz and shook her head. Two rallies later, the German tennis player’s Grand Slam comeback against the American Danielle Collins at the Australian Open was over again. Kerber lost 2:6, 6:3, 1:6 to the 2022 finalist in 1:52 hours.
After an 18-month break and only a few games in preparation for the United Cup, the 35-year-old described her return before the start of the tournament as a “cold start”, which seemed appropriate if you ignore the climatic conditions on that hot day in Melbourne. When the sun disappeared behind a cloud for 20 seconds for the first time in the match after an hour and a half, the audience applauded. Otherwise it seemed to be constantly on the heads of everyone involved in the “1573 Arena” at the end of the facility, which made the game a hot affair, but certainly didn’t make the defeat any more pleasant for Kerber.
Kerber: “I need time”
The German spoke afterwards of a “tough match” that she was not satisfied with. “It wasn’t the best tennis I could have played.” Kerber, who turns 36 on Thursday, initially had problems with her own serve, but also with her return. She only found her way into the game in the second set because she hit the balls better when returning. Kerber got three breaks, but was unable to build on that in the decisive round. Her opponent was then more aggressive again, especially with the returns. “That was the key,” said Kerber.
Her serve remained a weakness throughout the entire game – and what resulted from it. Her competitor repeatedly attacked the first and second service, putting Kerber in trouble. In principle, the defensive player doesn’t feel uncomfortable. The problem: When she came under pressure, in many situations Kerber was no longer able to fight back and free herself like she used to. She only scored 53 percent of the points on her first serve, 32 on her second. Her opponent hit 46 winning strokes (ten of them on returns), Kerber 13 (1).
Published/Updated: David Lindenfeld, Melbourne Published/Updated: Recommendations: 2 David Lindenfeld, Melbourne Published/Updated: Recommendations: 3
There were game situations in which you could see what once made Kerber strong and helped her win three Grand Slam titles: a winning shot with her forehand down the line or a counterattack from the defense. Ultimately, these blows come too rarely. “I played well at times,” said Kerber, who visibly lacked match practice. “I need time. I know I have to be patient.”
However, Kerber doesn’t yet know exactly what will happen next. She definitely wants to play in Indian Wells and Miami in March. As of late Tuesday afternoon (local time) in Melbourne, she could not yet say which tournaments she would compete in beforehand. She still has a few months left before the French Open to get back into shape: “I want to play well again at the big tournaments. That’s the goal,” said Kerber, who is sure: “I still have a few more to go.”