Tennis Acumen

German Tennis Revitalized in 2011

PETE ZIEBRON

Germany is enjoying a resurgence in the world of tennis in 2011, particularly in the women's game.  Three German women have won titles this year and the nation is poised to have at least 2 players break the WTA top 10 in the very near future.

World #16 Julia Goerges                                                 Photo courtesy: Rick Limpert  www.ricklimpert.info

This April, Julia Goerges defeated world #1 Caroline Wozniacki to win her first career WTA title in Stuttgart.  En route to the Final, Goerges also beat world #7 Samantha Stosur and #5 Victoria Azarenka.  Other noteworthy wins this year include: another victory over #1 Wozniacki in Madrid, and #11 Shahar Peer in Charleston, SC.  Goerges entered Wimbledon ranked #16 in the world.

In May, Andrea Petkovic won her first WTA title, defeating #11 Marion Bartoli in Strasbourg, France.  Notable victories in the tournament were achieved over Maria Kirilenko and Danilea Hantuchova.  In other events in 2011, Petkovic claimed wins over top players: #1 Caroline Wozniacki, #7 Jelena Jankovic (twice), #16 Marion Bartoli, as well as Australian Open wins over #5 Venus Williams and #16 Maria Sharapova.  Petkovic entered Wimbledon as the world #13.

Earlier this month, Sabine Lisicki defeated Daniela Hantuchova in Eastbourne, England to win her 2nd career WTA title.  Prior to the Final, Lisicki defeated #20 Peng Shuai.  Last month, Lisicki rolled through qualifying at Roland Garros and held a substantial 3rd set lead over #3 seed Vera Zvonareva before a leg injury disrupted her ability to compete and close of the 2nd round match.  Notable wins in 2011 for Lisicki include: #6 Na Li, #12 Marion Bartoli, #22 Nadia Petrova and #27 Dominika Cibulkova.  Lisicki entered Wimbledon as the world #62 and defeated Roland Garros Champion Na Li in the 2nd round, her 2nd victory over Li this year.  On Monday, Lisicki will play Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic in the 4th round.

• All 3 ladies play under the German flag, however only Goerges is truly German.  Andrea Petkovic was born in Bosnia and although Sabine Lisicki was born in Germany, her parents are Polish immigrants.  

• Similarly, two of the very best players on Germany's men's World Cup soccer team, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski were not born in Germany, but in Poland!  Interesting facts indeed about the origins of the athletes that represent such a proud sports nation.

2011 Halle Champion Philipp Kohlschreiber                         Charles Gabrean Photography

Germany also celebrated a title on the ATP tour earlier this month as Philipp Kohlschreiber won his 3rd career title in Halle, Germany.  Kohlschreiber enetered Wimbledon as the world #39.   Earlier this year, Kohlschreiber also registered wins over: #4 Robin Soderling, #8 Gael Monfils, #13 Mikhail Youzhny, #18 Viktor Troicki and #21 Alexander Dolgopolov.

Finally, the entire tennis world welcomes the popular German player Tommy Haas back to the ATP tour.  Haas, a former world #2 has been sidelined for most of the last 18 months and has not registered a victory since February 2010.

 

 

 

Rafael Nadal wins 6th Roland Garros, 10th Major

PETE ZIEBRON

World # 1 Rafael Nadal     Charles Gabrean Photography

Rafael Nadal withstood fierce determination from his biggest rival, Roger Federer and won the 2011 Roland Garros Final 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1 today in Paris.  It was the 6th Roland Garros title for Nadal in the last 7 years and 10th career Major title.

Federer will rue the fact that he had chances in each and every set of the match and did not convert on the majority of his opportunities.  In the first set, Federer finally solved Nadal on his 4th break point opportunity in Nadal's first service game to take a 2-0 lead.  Later in the set, Federer held a set point on Nadal's serve but just missed hitting the line on a carved drop shot.  Nadal would dig out of trouble, even the set and break Federer on his final 2 service games of the first set to steal the opening stanza.

Deep in the second set, Federer staved off a set point before the rain appeared, causing a 9 minute delay.  When play resumed with Nadal serving at 6-5, deuce, Federer would again earn a break point and then convert it, pushing the 2nd set to a tiebreak.  Nadal would prove to be the steadier player, raced to a 4-0 lead and won the the breaker 7-3 to take a 2 sets to love lead.

Late in the 3rd set, with Nadal 2 games from victory, Federer would get a key break, level the set and then break yet again to win the set 7-5.  Momentum was clearly on Federer's side now, for the first time since midway through the 1st set.

At this point, trailing 2 sets to 1, Federer converted 5 of 12 break point opportunities in the match, including breaking Nadal on 3 consecutive break point chances.  Historically, Federer was a cumulative 5 of 31 in break point conversions against Nadal in the previous 3 Roland Garros Finals, all won by Nadal.

Nadal served to begin the 4th set and quickly got behind 0-40.  Despite Federer's more successful break point conversion rate on the day, he would fail to break Nadal in the opening game of the set, proceed to get broken and win only 1 more game in the match. 

With the victory, Rafael Nadal will remain the #1 player in the world, holding a slim points lead over Novak Djokovic.