Laura Siegemund’s Quick Turnaround: From Brazil to Stuttgart in a Flash

Things had to happen very quickly for Laura Siegemund on Saturday evening. From the Center Court in Sao Paulo, which she had dominated for two days, she immediately went to the airport, onto the runway and onto the plane to Germany.

Every hour counted for preparation and regeneration before the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, which started this Monday with the first main draw matches.

Jet lag has been an issue since arriving in Stuttgart, Siegemund admitted in an interview with reporters on Monday. From the outside, the 36-year-old in the press center did not show any signs of travel or exertion.

Siegemund, the outstanding player in the German team with two individual victories in the qualifying away game in the Billie Jean King Cup in Brazil, radiated self-understanding, self-confidence and lots of positive energy before her home tournament.

Siegemund: Doubles specialist with great singles potential

The native of Filderstadt, who turned 36 last month, had actually already finally committed herself to doubles after serious knee injuries, rehabilitation phases and the physical consequences.

Siegemund announced this in the media before the Australian Open 2023, only to reach the third round there – in the singles, mind you. In the fall she made it to the individual finals of the WTA tournament in Warsaw, as well as two quarter-finals in Asia.

Now, in spring 2024, the strong performance in Brazil with a victory over French Open semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia in front of 10,000 frenetic South American fans.

The Stuttgart winner from 2017 is still able to temporarily conjure up tennis on the courts of the world, which can still be clearly assigned to the format of the extended world elite. This was definitely noticeable in Siegemund before her start at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Laura Siegemund celebrates a victory for Germany at the Billie Jean King Cup

Fotocredit: Getty Images

Siegemund: “I want to maximize the bonus”

“After going through so many phases of injury, I’m at a point where everything that comes is just a great bonus,” confessed Siegemund. However, she is a very ambitious person.

“That’s why I want to maximize the bonus and not just have fun. I’m playing well and feeling better physically, and that’s what we saw in Brazil.”

In the world rankings she is back in the top 90 and is directly qualified for the Grand Slam main fields. The doubles world ranking lists her in sixth place.

Last but not least, the victory at the WTA finals with partner Vera Zvonareva suggests that the ranking could actually be a little higher.

Additional work as Siegemund’s trump card

Sometimes she has to stop herself and remember how nice it actually is that she can play at this level again.

“But I’ve been saying that for years.” The fact that she can play so well again for so long is a good achievement. “But there’s also work behind it. It doesn’t just happen. For almost six years I’ve been completing rehab programs between tournaments and making sure I don’t play that much. We’re doing a good job there.”

Siegemund means Antonio Zucca, who has accompanied her as a trainer since 2018 and with whom she has been in a personal relationship for several years, has moved the center of his life to Sardinia, the home of the ex-professional.

Together they work hard, both playfully and physically, to extend their careers and think carefully about which tournaments will be played – and which will not.

Doubles remains the focus at Siegemund

And despite some good individual results, the tournament planning remains a business decision that favors the doubles competitions. Siegemund said on Monday that she didn’t really have a choice.

“If I’m ranked in the rankings, then of course I’ll also play singles and then that’s a bit of the focus.” But the tournament planning is based on the doubles.

“I play the biggest tournaments, which are crucial for my doubles planning, and in singles I then play a qualification there instead of being in the main draw at smaller events.” In Miami, with three wins, they managed to move from qualifying to the second main round.

“I’m playing well and holding up well, or rather I’m moving forward again. I’ve worked hard to be right in the main draw again at the Grand Slams,” explained Siegemund.

Laura Siegemund with partner and trainer Antonio Zucca

Photo credit: Image

A little luck at the Porsche Grand Prix

As so often, she will be competing in singles and doubles in Stuttgart. She doesn’t stand a chance against Marta Kostjuk from Ukraine on Wednesday.

However, the Ukrainian traveled to Stuttgart with the recommendation of a final in San Diego and a run to the semi-finals in Indian Wells, but according to Siegemund, she recently had physical problems. She will compete in doubles on Tuesday – alongside her regular doubles partner, the Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

There was no declaration of war against her opponent, against whom she had never played before. “Above all, it’s nice to be home again. I don’t come here that often anymore. I’m especially looking forward to the home crowd after the away game in Brazil.”

Gap between old and young generations

The experienced national player can be sure of the support of the home crowd. It’s just uncertain how often she will be able to feel this great atmosphere. Her German colleagues in Stuttgart, Tatjana Maria, and Angelique Kerber, who returned after a baby break, are also both 36 years old and in the late autumn of their careers.

The young talents Ella Seidel, Nastasja Schunk and Carolina Kuhl were eliminated in the first qualifying round in Stuttgart. Eva Lys was in Brazil as a substitute player with the German team.

Noma Noha Akugue’s path has been marked by many ups and downs since she reached the final in Hamburg. Jule Niemeier is taking a different route on the way back to her old strength via smaller foreign tournaments

“We’re trying to pass on a bit of our experience to the younger players. I see the fire in one or two of them, we talk a lot and try to play well for a while and help,” explained Siegemund.

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2024-04-15 22:41:00
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