Olympics with Zverev?
For Angelique Kerber, “everything is even more beautiful”
By Felix Görner & Till Erdenberger
06/26/2023, 11:35 am
Successful tennis pro and mother? This works out. The proof has already been provided several times, soon Angelique Kerber will also gain experience in the double role. Germany’s best tennis player is working on her comeback and has exciting plans.
Angelique Kerber is the most successful German tennis player of the post-Steffi Graf era. During her career, the woman from Kiel won three Grand Slam tournaments, in 2016 she won Olympic silver in Rio, and Kerber led the world rankings for 34 weeks. Since February 25 of this year, the 35-year-old has slipped into a new role: the successful tennis player is the mother, daughter Liana is the new center of life.
At the end of August 2022, Angelique Kerber said goodbye to the tennis circus with a social media post: “I actually wanted to play the US Open, but I decided that two against one is just not fair competition,” joked Kerber on Twitter at the time made her pregnancy public. She will “not be on the tour for a while,” said the left-hander, but she always ruled out the end of her career. Now Kerber is working on successfully harmonizing her old and her new life. In an exclusive interview with RTL/ntv, she explains how it works – and that there are still big goals.
“Of course, the greatest thing for me now is to have my little one by my side,” said Kerber on the sidelines of the WTA tournament in Bad Homburg, “you notice that you are even more motivated and somehow have a lot more strength in you.” In Bad Homburg, the young mother returned to the center court for a “little comeback”, and in front of a full house, Kerber also officially said goodbye to her retired friend Andrea Petkovic in front of a large crowd in her sporting retirement. There will probably not be a quick return to the professional tour, Kerber really wants to “take his time” to get back in top form.
Mixed with Zverev? “Would be happy”
“Take your time”, that could mean: At the beginning of 2024, Kerber wants to be fully back. Melbourne should offer the big stage, the Australian Open was the first Grand Slam tournament that Angelique Kerber was able to win. The Australian Open is “the motivation and the main goal to attack again in 2024”. In general: “The goals are of course the big tournaments. The Grand Slams, then we have the Olympics in 2024, which is very emotional and should be a highlight in my career. It’s going to be an exciting, intense year, and I’m looking forward to it I’m already looking forward to it.”
In 2016, Angelique Kerber not only won two Grand Slam titles and the top of the world rankings in Melbourne and at the US Open, but also the Olympic silver medal in Rio. The “has a very special meaning for me,” said the 35-year-old. “Being part of the German team is something very special and it’s also a huge honor for me to sail under the German flag.” Kerber hardly has to fear national competition on the way back and to an Olympic nomination: Tatjana Maria is currently ranked 66th in the world as the best German. If Kerber goes to Paris for the Olympic tennis tournament, there could be an Olympic-shining German mixed: “Well, I would be happy,” she said, whether she might then go hunting for medals with Olympic champion Alexander Zverev.
“Definitely Together”
But it doesn’t matter where it goes and how it goes: “In any case together” the great career of the only German world number one next to Steffi Graf should turn on its home straight. Will Liana fly to Australia? “That’s definitely the plan. I can’t imagine it any other way.” It is possible “to bring job and family together. The most important thing is really that you communicate, organize and plan well.”
Angelique Kerber will be part of a small but growing group of successful mothers on her return to the professional tour: Belarusian Victoria Azarenka is currently ranked 19th in the world, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina recently returned to the limelight at the French Open and reached the quarterfinals, Kerbers Girlfriend Tatjana Maria made herself the first mother of two to ever win a WTA tournament in Bogota in May. “Of course you exchange ideas with one or the other,” said Kerber on RTL / ntv. Just “what everyday life looks like then. But in the end everyone says – and I notice that myself – that you have to find your own rhythm individually, create your plan and also your team around it, that it’s coordinated in such a way that it fits for everyone. And that’s where I’m at right now.” The historical role models also give hope: Belgian Kim Clijsters won the US Open twice after a baby break.
Either way: “The biggest thing for me is of course to have my little one by my side now.” She already has all her triumphs as a tennis pro for sure. “These are emotions and feelings that I will always carry in my heart. But on the other hand, of course, life goes on and what you have now is even more beautiful.”