Angelique Kerber: Pushing Away Thoughts Of Retirement

Angelique Kerber
Angelique Kerber

WASHINGTON, December 27, 2020 (by Michael Dickens)

Angelique Kerber became the first German Grand Slam winner since the days of Steffi Graf when she lifted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after winning the 2016 Australian Open. The same year, she won the US Open and in 2018 triumphed at Wimbledon.

Now 32, Kerber a native of Kiel, Germany, who resides in Puszczykowo, Poland, finds herself ranked 25th in the current world rankings as she prepares to start the 2021 season. Four years ago, she ended 2016 ranked No. 1.

By all accounts, the 2020 season was not a very memorable one for Kerber as her 7-6 win-loss record attests. She finished the year on a three-match losing streak: losing in the round of 16 at the US Open, followed by first-round exits at Rome and Roland Garros. Each loss was in straight sets. Before that, she started the year in Australia and went 4-3, which included a round of 16 finish at the Australian Open.

During a recent interview with dpa-Sport (translated from German), Kerber was asked if she could choose between winning Roland Garros or an Olympic gold medal, which would it be? “If I could choose,” she pondered, “I would definitely take the fourth Grand Slam title in Paris. To have won all four Grand Slams would of course be the icing on the cake. But no matter which of the two, I would take it (smiles). Although you have to say, Paris, Olympics, that is still so far away that nobody things about it yet. Not, it’s about how we get to Australia.

“It’s about training continuously and making steady progress without exhausting yourself completely. You have to stretch the training phase. It’s difficult and a challenge for me, too. On the other hand, you can plan the training weeks in a way that suits you best and use days to regenerate in between.”

When Kerber was asked if 2021 will be her last season, the German No. 1 didn’t want be specific just yet. “I pushed the thought away for now,” she said. “But once you’ve thought of it, you can’t delete it either. I will feel it at some point. I will make the decision all by myself. Anyone who knows me know that when I make such a decision, it has been carefully considered.”

Andy Murray receives Delray Beach wild card

After a successful 2-0 week at the Battle of the Brits Premier League of Tennis this week, with wins over British No. 1 Dan Evans and British No. 3 Cameron Norrie – without dropping a set – World No. 122 Andy Murray has accepted a wild card to start his 2021 season at the Delray Beach Open in Delray Beach, Fla. in less than two weeks.

Murray will debut on Friday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. local time (1 a.m. GMT Jan. 9).

“I am looking forward to starting the 2021 season in Delray Beach,” Murray said in a statement. “This event will be a good test for me and I’m excited to be back playing on the tour.”

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