Next Saturday will be a special day for Sabine Lisicki (32). For the first time since 2008, the Berliner is serving at a professional tournament at her hometown club LTTC Rot-Weiss.
The 2013 Wimbledon finalist is qualifying for the bett1 Open. The grass tournament, which runs until June 19, is her best since her comeback on May 2 after an 18-month injury break.
Lisicki: “I’m really looking forward to playing in Berlin. And then at home in my home club, that’s great. I hope a lot of people watch. In any case, quite a few friends will fly in.”
With nine out of ten top 10 players, the field is better occupied than some Grand Slam tournaments. The two Paris finalists, winner Iga Swiatek (21/Poland) and Coco Gauff (18/USA) should also start.
Lisicki isn’t afraid that there will be a hammer draw in qualifying: “With my constellation, you don’t think about the opponent. In the end we’ll see where my level is and then we’ll see if I’m happy after the match.”
After a serious knee injury, Lisicki, once number 12 in the world, has fully recovered. She even played a grass court tournament in Great Britain. “I feel very good. I’m fitter than when I got injured in late 2019. I don’t know when was the last time I felt this good,” she says.
Foto: picture alliance / dpa
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/sabine-lisicki-nach-ihrem-groessten-triumph-dem-wimbledon-finale-2013-das-sie-versus-marion-bartoli- ver-b35f842cf7a9450bbfbe97d4d6cae571-80334700/Bild/1.bild.jpg”/> Sabine Lisicki after her greatest triumph, the 2013 Wimbledon final, which she lost to Marion BartoliFoto: picture alliance / dpa
Lisicki’s goal for the coming months: “The top 100, of course. I’ve worked really hard. Playing in Grand Slams again, of course. My goal is to get the maximum out of it. But I don’t know what’s possible.”
In Berlin you will see it on Saturday. Lisicki is welcome back on the scene. She felt that when she was injured. This is another reason why giving up was out of the question for her: “Never, at any time. I didn’t want to stop with an injury.”
