Thursday, January 06, 2022
After infection to Australia
Kerber always has problems with Corona
Corona is again hindering Angelique Kerber in her preparation for the Australian Open. Last year she had to be strictly quarantined, during which she was affected by an infection. She was fully vaccinated. She starts the season with just a short training phase.
The virus is defeated, but the preparation for the Australian Open is mixed up again: Angelique Kerber has survived a corona infection and, like last year, is not going to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year under optimal conditions. That announced the former world number one. “Unfortunately, despite all the precautionary measures and a full vaccination, I tested positive for Covid-19 in December and then had to go into quarantine,” said Kerber.
“Although I only had a mild course, the Corona-related training break forced me to postpone my preparation for the season,” Kerber said. So she had to cancel her participation in the WTA tournament in Sydney, which should have served as preparation. On Friday, however, the three-time Grand Slam winner will travel to Melbourne, where she won the title in 2016. It remains to be seen in what form she will be able to participate from January 17th.
In any case, Kerber was unable to take the momentum from their “successful second half of the year” in 2021 with them as planned. “I can’t remember the last time I went to a Grand Slam without a preparatory tournament,” said the 33-year-old. “Physically I feel quite good despite the short training phase, but I have to be realistic that without match practice and a lack of training it will be difficult to play my best tennis.”
Medically, however, a start is safe. “Before I could get back into training, I did a full medical check-up,” said Kerber. “In the first few days I had to take it slowly, but now I am quite satisfied with the progress in training. I will have to wait and see how it will be in Australia under the extreme heat conditions.”
Last year, she was unlucky in the run-up to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year and had to be in strict quarantine in Melbourne after a corona case on her plane. Then she failed in the first round, but delivered strong results especially in the second half of the year with the tournament victory in Bad Homburg and the semi-finals in Wimbledon.