WTA: Laura Siegemund with a bitter task in the round of 16 in Rabat

Laura Siegemund has missed the quarter finals at the sand court tournament in Rabat/Morocco. Almost four weeks after her comeback on the WTA Tour, the 30-year-old, who had suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in May 2017, had to give up against the top seeded Australian Open semi-finalist Elise Mertens (Belgium) at 7:6 (5), 0:6, 1:3 due to an injury on her left calf.

In the round of the last eight, the Italian Sara Errani would have waited. The former French Open finalist defeated the unseeded Johanna Larsson (Sweden) 6:3, 6:0.

In the first run, Siegemund fended off five set points from the world rankings-19th Mertens before she rewarded herself for her fighting qualities after 75 minutes and used her second set point. Previously, however, the Metzinger had problems with her serve. She had to take three breaks and was 1:4 behind.

But Siegemund did not give in, although there were always small setbacks. She managed to equal the score 5:5, but at 5:6 and her own service she had to fend off five set points. In the tiebreak she then set the course for success with a quick 5-0 lead.

As a result, however, Mertens turned up the heat. The up-and-coming Belgian won round two without losing a game. In the decision, Siegemund tried once again to mobilize the last reserves of strength, but the pain in the left calf could not be decisively alleviated by a treatment break. Hobbling on the net, the disappointed Swabian congratulated her opponent on entering the next round.

At last week’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Siegemund, equipped with a wildcard, first clearly defeated the Czech Barbora Strycova before she then had to admit defeat in three sets in the round of 16 of the later finalist Coco Vandeweghe (USA). As she lost many points as defending champion, Siegemund crashed by 126 places (!!!) to rank 226 in the world rankings published last Monday.

Once again she competed without her knee bandage, which was “visually no sensation either,” she joked. At the tournament in Stuttgart, the psychologist had dared for the first time since her cruciate ligament operation to play without a bandage.

But the native of Filderstadt continues to rely on her jet-black knee-high socks, “they really do bring something. And in the end, my health always comes before optics,” emphasized Siegemund.