Former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber (36) has been given an attractive first-round task for her comeback to Germany after her maternity leave.
In Stuttgart, the unseeded former number one in the tennis world will meet the British Emma Raducanu (21), as the draw revealed. The main field of the top-class indoor clay court tournament begins on Monday.
Raducanu became the first qualifier to win the US Open title in 2021 at the age of 18; it was the first Grand Slam title for a British woman in 44 years. Since then, she has repeatedly struggled with injuries and has no longer been able to consistently achieve her former form.
Kerber and Raducanu will meet each other for the first time. The Kiel native returned to the tennis tour at the beginning of the year after becoming a mother in February 2023. Stuttgart is now the first tournament that she is playing in her home country, although she was only able to travel to it at short notice.
Kerber was not used in Brazil
At the weekend Kerber was in Brazil with the German women’s team. However, unlike the two other German Stuttgart participants Tatjana Maria and Laura Siegemund, she was not used in the 3-1 win and the successful qualification for the final round of the Billie Jean King Cup.
Maria will face the Belgian Elise Mertens in the first round. If she wins, the Swabian would face world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek from Poland. The Metzinger Laura Siegemund will play against the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk at the start. No German made it into the main draw from the qualification.
Eight of the top ten players in the world are taking part in the tournament in Stuttgart. Of the nine top ten players originally announced, the American Jessica Pegula canceled her start at short notice. Kerber, Maria and Siegemund came into the main field with wildcards.
2024-04-14 12:41:00
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