In disbelief, Angelique Kerber shook her head at the chance of a fairytale ending to her career at the Olympic Games. With her next astonishingly impressive performance, she reminded everyone of her glory days in Paris and raised hopes of a medal with her entry into the quarterfinals at what may be her last tournament. Like Alexander Zverev, Kerber is still in the race. The Tokyo Olympic champion raised his arms high after his 6:3, 7:5 victory against Czech Tomas Machac, wanting to follow Kerber’s suit with an eighth-final success against Australian Alexei Popyrin.
Kerber celebrated her 6:4, 6:3 victory against former Canadian US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez with a raised index finger. It was as if the most popular German tennis player of recent years wanted to indicate that she could still be counted on after months of disappointing early losses in Paris. In this form, a semifinal entry against the sixth-seeded Chinese player Zheng Qinwen is also possible.
“No,” responded the Olympic silver medalist from Rio de Janeiro 2016 when asked if she could explain her performances these days. “I wouldn’t have thought that things would go this way a week ago. I couldn’t have imagined it any better.”
She needs just two more victories to win a medal. “It’s fun. And I will try to get as many matches as I can,” said the 36-year-old, although her doubles journey is over. A few hours after her singles match, she lost the first-round match alongside Laura Siegemund against the British duo of Heather Watson and Katie Boulter 2:6, 3:6.
Not even a week ago, Kerber announced that she would retire after the summer games. Now, she is playing as impressively as she has since her comeback as a mother.
With her third quarterfinal entry at the Olympic Games after 2012 and 2016, the three-time Grand Slam tournament winner is as successful in this statistic as no other German tennis professional—whether male or female—before her. No female player has reached the last eight more often internationally since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988. Kerber is now level with Spaniard Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.
Relieved After Announced Retirement
“After the decision, I really felt relieved,” Kerber said. “And I feel that I’m actually a bit more relaxed,” she added. “I know, I’m not going to Canada, I’m not getting on a flight to America anymore. And I think that’s why I know I can give it my all here because I have a bit longer vacation afterward to regenerate.”
Just a week ago at her favorite tournament in Wimbledon, she had left a concerning impression on the court. Free from pressure, the player from Kiel now demonstrated a level of play in the left-handed duel against the 15-years-younger Fernandez that had hardly been seen since her comeback at the start of the season.
With the two victories, Kerber regained her confidence in Paris. The former world number one made fewer errors in the evenly matched first set than the 25th-ranked player and repeatedly outmaneuvered the Canadian on the court. Although she could not initially defend the lead after breaking serve to go up 2:1, she decisively broke Fernandez’s serve again to go ahead 4:3.
Kerber Impresses Fernandez
A day after the exhausting three sets against Romanian Jaqueline Cristian, Kerber also withstood the midday heat. Winning the first set seemed to further invigorate her. Kerber continued to improve and amazed with strong point wins. She gave away her serve again at 1:1, but then pulled away from the inconsistently playing Fernandez.
“She is playing great. She is a champion,” Fernandez praised in admiration: “I hope she ends her last tournament with a big hurrah.” Clay courts have never been Kerber’s favorite surface. The French Open has often been anything but a successful venue for her.
“I think, no matter how it goes here, I believe that Paris and I will part ways in peace,” Kerber said now: “And in the end, I also won my first WTA title here when I look back.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240730-930-188735/5