TTennis player Andrea Petkovic just missed a surprise at the end of her Grand Slam career. In her last game on the big tennis stage at the US Open in New York, the 34-year-old gave a tough fight to Olympic champion Belinda Bencic (Switzerland). But she lost 2:6, 6:4, 4:6.
She wanted to “get another one out,” Petkovic said after her resignation announcement (“The last dance”). But at her 48th and last Grand Slam start, the seven-time WTA tournament winner was too nervous at first.
Lots of injuries
“When I see her like this: She has a lot of thoughts about this end of her career. I mean, she thought about it every second: Oh God, it could all be over in a moment,” said national coach Barbara Rittner after the first sentence on “Eurosport”. After that Petkovic found her rhythm and put the favorite in serious trouble.
Even before her first serve, Petkovic had announced her retirement. The US Open is generally her “last tournament”, but she may add another event in Europe. The Darmstadt resident justified this decision with the lack of game and training rhythm due to injuries.
The versatile Petkovic now wants to “take a break first”, “finish a book” by the end of the year and think about “what comes next in my life”. The former world number ninth admitted that it was “very difficult” for her to finally say goodbye.
Peter Gojowczyk also missed the second round. In his opening game at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year on Tuesday, the 33-year-old from Munich had to beat the number 28 seeded Dane Holger Rune in three sets 2: 6, 4: 6 and 6: 7 (5: 7). give up. Last year, Gojowczyk made it to the round of 16 at the hard court tournament.
The same happened to Maximilian Marterer. He also has to pack his things. The qualifier from Nuremberg lost to Marin Cilic, tournament winner from 2014, 3:6, 2:6, 5:7.
Siegemund loses
Laura Siegemund also failed to win her opening game at the US Open. The 34-year-old lost 4-6, 4-6 in two sets in her first round match against Sorana Cirstea from Romania on Tuesday.
The two-time WTA tournament winner Siegemund, currently only 182nd in the world rankings, had previously spoken of an “unpleasant lot”, Cirstea was “certainly not a favorite player” of hers.
Siegemund competes in doubles at the US Open alongside Czech Marie Bouzkova. In the first round, the duo meets seventh-seeded Chinese Yang Zhaoxuan/Xu YiFan.
“I always have great ambitions in doubles,” said Siegemund on “Eurosport”, “even if you have to say clearly that my partner is not the great doubles expert. But I have confidence in us.”
Iga Swiatek, on the other hand, started the big tournament in New York with a befitting victory. In her opening match on Tuesday, the world number one easily defeated the Italian Jasmine Paolini in straight sets 6:3 and 6:0.
In the second round, the 21-year-old will meet the winner of the duel between former US Open winner Sloane Stephens from the USA and Greet Minnen from Belgium.
