Fed Cup: Happy news before the semi-final: Kerber and Görges before their return

The surprising semi-final entry of the Fed Cup team, which is weakened by a lack of replacements, continues the upward trend in German tennis. Angelique Kerber and Julia Görges will return to the team in April against Czech Republic.

The Fed Cup heroines enjoyed the last few hours of their unexpectedly successful business trip to Belarus together. Tatjana Maria and her team-mates knew that they would never meet again. The late return flight from Minsk on Monday afternoon was therefore a pleasure for the players after the nightly victory celebration.

“These are all realistic girls”, national coach Barbara Rittner told the SID during the waiting period:”They know which part of the team they have contributed to the semi-final. The two top 10 players Angelique Kerber and Julia Görges, Rittner leaves no doubt, will face the Czech Republic (21/22. April) to the team. The best team in Stuttgart is expected to continue the upward trend in German tennis.

A week before the women’s match, the German Davis Cup team had also won a tough away game in Brisbane, Australia. In the past few years, both sides have often been opposed to relegation, and now both national teams can dream of the title:”Much is a snapshot, and both successes depended on a few balls and a little bit of luck,” said Rittner:”But you can also force luck through a closed team effort.

Tatjana Maria, who scored points in singles and doubles alongside Anna-Lena Grönefeld, debutante Antonia Lottner and substitute Anna-Lena Friedsam, did so consistently that Jens Gerlach got into raptures after his debut at the German bank, said euphorically:”I won’t let anything happen to these four girls! Nevertheless, Gerlach also knows that at least two players from his successful quartet will be watching against the Czech Republic.

“Angie and Julia only cancelled their participation in the first game,”Rittner clarified. Immediately before the WTA tournament in Stuttgart, where both have already won a chic sports car, there is no reason to give up the Fed Cup again. Rittner even expects a “tennis spectacle”when in Kerber, Görges and Czech women Karolina Pliskova as well as Petra Kvitova four players of the absolute world class meet. With German chances for the final.

Whichever player of the successful travel group from Minsk will also be nominated for the second game of the year will be decided by Gerlach and his predecessor Rittner together:”Tatjana has made a great offer, and Anna-Lena (Grönefeld, d. Red) is always an option as a double specialist,”said Rittner, who has been responsible for all German women’s tennis since last August and is thus the counterpart of Boris Becker at the German tennis club.

The upswing in German tennis – not only in the national teams – is obvious, and even if Rittner does not want to overestimate its share, she said:”We have done quite a bit right in the DTB. Boris and I can give small impulses from the outside:” Details that contributed to the success in Minsk and Brisbane.