Patience test for Angelique Kerber: The 30-year-old’s opening match at the prestigious hard court tournament in Indian Wells against the Russian Ekaterina Makarova had to be interrupted in the first game of the second set due to rainfall – and then postponed to Sunday after about an hour and a half of waiting time. The tenth seed Kerber had lost the first round 3:6.
In the left-handed duel with fearful opponent Makarova, Kerber got off to a bad start and was trailing 3-0 after two serve losses with two double errors. The match was temporarily moved from stadium 3 to the second largest court of the tennis court. The tenth placed Kerber in the Californian desert had lost the last three comparisons with the Russian. And Makarova did again what had always helped her to succeed against the Kieler: She put a lot of pressure on her.
However, Kerber held back after initial problems and fought back. After the 3:3, however, she had another break and after about three-quarters of an hour she faced two set points. Kerber was able to fend off the first one with a forehand longline. On the second one, this showpiece landed right next to the line.
After losing the first set, she reminded her coach Wim Fissette of the set plan A:”I want to see conviction and intensity in your game. You have to make more out of your legs. Your game is there, but move better,”said the Belgian when coaching the two-time Grand Slam winner. After that, Kerber had a break ball before the game was interrupted for rainfall – and then postponed to Sunday.
This was decided by tournament director Tommy Haas after consultation with the meteorologists. The match between top seed Roger Federer and Federico Delbonis (Argentina) could not be continued due to the weather conditions at 6:3,2:2 from the Swiss superstar’s point of view.
Before the rain Kerbers Fed-Cup colleague Julia Görges (Bad Oldesloe) had already reached the third round. In the first match after a hip injury suffered in Doha in mid-February, the number twelve seeded Goerges defeated Natalja Vikhlyantseva of Russia 6-4,6-1. Her next opponent is Anastasija Sevastova (No. 21). Görges has a 4:2 record against the Latvian woman. In the last 16, the 29-year-old could then face Serena Williams (USA), who made her comeback on the WTA tour after her baby break in Indian Wells. The 23-times Grand Slam winner defeated Kiki Bertens from the Netherlands 7-6 (7-5), 7-5,7-5.
Mona Barthel (Neumünster) was eliminated in the second round. The 27-year-old Elina Svitolina (Ukraine), who finished fourth in the world rankings, was defeated 4-6,3-6 on Saturday. From a German point of view, only Kerber and Görges are still represented in the women’s field.