Despite a good performance, three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber was eliminated in the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Rome. The 36-year-old from Kiel presented the Polish world number one Iga Swiatek with a challenge on Monday, but lost 5:7, 3:6. This means that the clay court tournament, which is the last big test of form for the French Open in Paris, which begins on May 26th, is over for the last German tennis player.
However, Kerber was in good shape before Roland Garros. The left-hander kept the first set open until the end. She immediately got back the break she conceded to make it 3:5. Kerber fought off seven set points before the three-time French Open winner from Poland secured the first round.
In the second set, Kerber took advantage of Swiatek’s slight phase of weakness to take a 2-0 lead, but was unable to maintain his lead. “Angie definitely played well,” said the top favorite after the match.
Not her favorite topping
Kerber had also impressed in the previous rounds and had built up self-confidence with three good wins on the red clay, which is not her favorite surface. Before the clay court opener in Stuttgart, the left-hander was suffering from a cold.
After she was knocked out in the first round of the home tournament, she skipped the event in Madrid to prepare for clay again. After her 18-month maternity break, the former world number one returned to the tour around the turn of the year.
In the men’s competition, the Rome tournament ended for Dominik Koepfer. The 30-year-old from the Black Forest lost in the third round to the favored US professional Tommy Paul 4:6, 3:6. The only German round of 16 is the Hamburg Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who is the favorite in his next game against the Portuguese Nuno Borges.