The Inner Game of Tennis Angelique Kerber Was Knocked out Early on in This Year’S US Open

28 The German Times October 2018 ARTS & LIFE The inner game of tennis Angelique Kerber was knocked out early on in this year’s US Open. But she’s not worried. She’s achieved so much in the past two years, she can now finally be satisfied Kerber won three Grand Slam if you win one tournament, you BY JÜRGEN SCHMIEDER tournaments since her US Open need to win the next as well. loss in 2015, plus the Silver Medal It brings up a serious question: n Sept. 5, 2015, at the Olympic Games in Rio. She Why should any athlete even Angelique Kerber began also earned tens of millions in want to win titles if they’re not Ocomposing a text mes- prize money and was ranked #1 in allowed to enjoy their success sage on her cell phone. She was the world for a total of 34 weeks. afterwards? This approach – the sitting in the locker room of the And yet, nobody has given her a one that says you always have to Arthur Ashe Stadium in New nickname other than “Angie,” an win, this greed for success, this York after her match against Vic- abbreviation of her first name, and permanent dissatisfaction – can tória Azárenka. It was an excit- anyone who says “Angelique” also make a person terribly unhappy. ing, gripping, first-class match, has to say “Kerber” afterwards. Kerber is not one of those never perhaps the best of the entire This was not the case for “Steffi” stop athletes. She’s not someone tournament, but Kerber had lost. or “Boris” in the 1980s. who climbs to the peak just to She was now in a state of des- Steffi Graf won everything. look for the next mountaintop. peration, struggling with herself That’s why she continues to be the She’s also not an athlete who and her defeat. The message she benchmark for all young women celebrates her successes in a way was about to send is one that playing tennis today. People now that would make her come tum- athletes usually write at the end like to argue that millions of Ger- PICTURE ALLIANCE/REUTERS bling down the mountainside. their careers. The recipient was mans discovered their love of The outward spoils of triumph: She is the way she is. And here’s Barbara Rittner, head coach of tennis in the 1980s. But that’s Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon 2018. an idea: Is it possible that Steffi the German national team, and only half true. What actually hap- Graf is sitting in her home in Las the message read: “It just isn’t pened is that millions of Germans Vegas right now thinking that going to work for me, is it?” became interested in Steffi Graf coach at the time and was prep- next rally, especially in tricky situ- there was no second tennis boom this Angelique Kerber has really One year later, on Sept. 8, 2016, and Boris Becker, and only after ping his protégé Novak Djokovic ations. It might sound easy, but in Germany, even if a couple of hit the mark in life? Is it possible Kerber once again found herself that did they come to know the dif- for his next match. No, Kerber anyone who’s played tennis knows people tried adamantly to start she’s noticed how Kerber wins in the catacombs of the world’s ference between topspin and slice. did not turn to Boris, she turned how incredibly difficult it is not one. Kerber has had to participate major tournaments and Olympic largest tennis arena. She was about A similar thing happened shortly to Steffi, who invited her to a to think about the score or the in appearances with sponsors, medals and achieves the top spot to play Caroline Wozniacki in the thereafter with boxer Henry joint training in Las Vegas and preceding rallies. reporters, tournament officials, in the world rankings and still US Open semifinal, but that wasn’t Maske, when everyone suddenly also exchanged some text mes- Until 2015, however, Kerber etc., but anyone who watches her – in spite of all of this – doesn’t what had the tennis world buzzing. became familiar with the concept sages with her. The two women had a problem. She was one of during these events can see that participate in the whole circus The big news was that Serena Wil- of “double cover.” Also, thanks did not become friends; Graf knew the best players in the world, but what she really wants is to be left Germans inevitably put on when liams had just lost, which meant to Michael Schumacher, Germans that Kerber didn’t need a friend. when it came to all important alone. No athlete likes to lose, but one of their athletes is successful, that after the tournament, Kerber came to know that on the For- Instead, the tennis legend gave tournaments, she just couldn’t maybe Kerber saw her numerous that is, beatifying the protago- was going to rise to the world mula One track in Montréal, the Kerber some very simple advice: win. early defeats (at the US Open in nists into angels and later sending number-one spot, something no best strategy was to take three pit “You have to go your own way.” “Anyone who makes the same the first round) as a way to be left them packing off to hell? German player had achieved since stops. In other words, back in the It was exactly what she needed mistake over and over again has to alone again. Is it possible that Grafhas Steffi Graf. Her reaction? “I was 1980s, Germany didn’t experience to hear. learn from it at some point,” she She won Wimbledon this year, noticed that Kerber – most of in the fitness studio with my coach says about her own transforma- which is the pinnacle for a tennis the time – is simply left alone? and my physiotherapist. We just tion. She struggled time and again career. And she has learned from That she was given the time and went silent for a couple of sec- with draws and drills, with wind her successes and all the hype they the space to go her own way? onds.” Kerber would go on to win and weather, with overcrowded brought with them. After her vic- Kerber is sitting once again in the tournament. It would be her GRAF KNEW THAT training courts and negative tory in London, she refrained from the catacombs of Arthur Ashe second Grand Slam title after the reporting, i.e. with things she has taking on too many appointments. Stadium, this time after her defeat Australian Open she won only a no influence over. Of course, for She traveled home to the Polish at the 2018 US Open. She is dis- few months prior. In other words, KERBER DIDN’T NEED a while you can use these factors town of Puszczykowo and took appointed, of course. Still, her contrary to the sentiment of her to explain away bitter defeats, a vacation, which for her means Grand Slam record this year is message to Rittner, it was going A FRIEND. INSTEAD, but at some point athletes have lying around, chilling out, taking semifinals, quarterfinals, victory to work for her. to ask themselves if maybe they herself out of the picture. “I knew – and now the third round. Not Two years later, on Sept. 1, aren’t quite as good as they always what I wanted to do and what I only is this an orderly number, 2018, Kerber was back at Arthur THE TENNIS LEGEND thought. On that point, Kerber didn’t want to do. And I said so, it’s also quite a good track record. Ashe Stadium, where she lost 6:3, says: “I decided then and there too. After Wimbledon, I wanted Kerber knows that she didn’t play 3:6, 3:6 to Dominika Cibulková. GAVE KERBER SOME that I would never again let the to do nothing for a few weeks.” well and that she’s going to have Kerber didn’t play very well, and pressure get to me.” One might say that Kerber to train hard again. After this she also didn’t fight as boldly VERY SIMPLE ADVICE: And Kerber did just that. She no threw away an opportunity to defeat, she has her eye on the next against this defeat as she’d done longer stressed about things; plus, win another Grand Slam title. challenge. And this time, she has so many times before in her career. she stopped looking for excuses. A number of other favorites got a special goal in mind: to achieve And yet, she by no means gave “YOU HAVE TO GO This approach led her to win both knocked out early at this year’s a “Career Slam,” that is, win all the impression that she felt like a the Australian Open and US Open US Open; there could have been four Grand Slam tournaments, failed person, a reviled person, a YOUR OWN WAY” in 2016. Anyone who’s ever been a repeat of her Wimbledon final but not necessarily in the same desperate person. This time, she present at the usual celebrations against Serena Williams. And it’s year. Only ten women have done wasn’t going to write a distressed that take place after key sporting true, Cibulkova hadn’t won the it in the history of tennis. Kerber text message to Rittner. If she events would have been aston- match; Angelique Kerber had lost only has the French Open left had wanted to write something, it a tennis boom; it was a Steffi-and- Kerber is not blessed with an ished after Kerber’s triumph at it.

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