Fed Cup: “At eye level”: Jens Gerlach sees Kerber, Görges & Co. prepared for the semi-finals

Fed Cup team boss Jens Gerlach sees his team well prepared for the semi-finals on Saturday (12:00) and Sunday (11:00/live at DAZN) against the Czech Republic. The home advantage in Stuttgart could make the difference for Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber & Co.

“I see us at eye level with the Czech women. I believe in our strengths and our girls. We are all in a very good mood,” said Gerlach on Wednesday before the first training session of the day and has also relied on the much-quoted home advantage at the first semi-final “Dahoam” since 1994: “The spectators can always bring the decisive percentages”.

The accompanying circumstances are certainly correct. Wednesday morning began with a relaxed running session in bright sunshine – start and finish: The team hotel in the heart of the Swabian metropolis. One of them was fitness coach Mike Diehl, who has been preparing the players perfectly since Monday for the semi-final match against the ten-time title winner.

For Gerlach, who was born in Stuttgart, his second match as team boss is something special. Barbara Rittner, who relinquished her position at the end of 2017 after 13 years, also knows this.

“This semi-final is, of course, another special Fed Cup for him, a kind of baptism of fire. In February, when we won the quarter-finals in Belarus 3-2 surprise, it was more difficult without our top players Angie Kerber and Jule Görges,” said Rittner in an interview with tennisnet and added: “But it was also easier and less complicated with the players who had nothing to lose. And who were just happy to play.”

Gerlach, coach of former French Open winner Anastasia Myskina (Russia) from 2002 to 2007, is already highly regarded by the players. “I had heard nothing but good things about Jens before. We spoke and talked on the phone several times before the meeting. I’m curious what it’s like when Jens sits on the bench during the matches,” said two-time Grand Slam winner Kerber, who trained for two hours in the Porsche Arena with DTB sparring partner Sebastian Sachs from 12.00 noon on Wednesday.

At the same time Julia Görges, as world number one in front of Kerber (WTA No. 12), played in the neighbouring Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle with Tatjana Maria. Gerlach made no secret of the fact that the dialogue with the “exercise bikes” of his protégés was extremely important in the preparation for the semifinal. “I can only profit from this. They’re close to the players,” Gerlach explained. The Swabian sees himself as a team player and does not believe in false vanities, that is obvious. Every input is “valuable,” he emphasized.

This also applies to Görges. For a long time, the player from Regensburg and the Czech Republic’s top player Karolina Pliskova (WTA No. 6) formed a world-class double and thus knows the 2016 US Open finalist like the back of her hand. The duel between the two will probably take place on Sunday when the two number one players meet from 11.00 a.m. on. The second single player next to Pliskova is two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova (WTA No. 10). The left-hander has always been involved in the past four years, when her team alone won the Fed Cup title three times.

Czech team boss Petr Pala sees the semi-final duel, a new edition of the 2014 final, as completely open: “The chances are 50:50. The German team is always strong”. Above all, he has respect for Kerber. “She has won two Grand Slam tournaments and was already world number one. She’s also playing really well again this season,” praised Pala, who already received valuable restaurant tips from Rittner for his stay in Stuttgart at the Premier Mandatory tournament in Miami.

Speaking of knights. The 44-year-old continues to support Gerlach, who is married to a Czech woman, in word and deed. “This is a great exchange with Barbara and extremely important,” says Gerlach. On Wednesday, Rittner, Head of Women’s Tennis at DTB, was once again on the court – and was the perfect match for Boris Becker, who also enjoys playing at the Davis Cup as Head of Men’s Tennis at DTB.