Wimbledon: Column Barbara Rittner: “Angie is my favorite”

Barbara Rittner, Head of Women’s Tennis in Germany, on Angelique Kerber’s new strength and chances in her second Wimbledon final on Saturday.

By Barbara Rittner from Wimbledon

When Angelique Kerber declared in Wimbledon two years ago after the lost final that she was determined to do better one day and win again very quickly, I thought: Oops, that’s an announcement. But she meant it dead serious, she never lost sight of this goal, this mission. I said a few weeks ago: Angie is my Wimbledon favourite. I’m sticking to that now. Even though Serena Williams is on the other side of the net.

What is the main reason for this old, new strength of Angie? I think it’s the courage to change that she had. The move from Torben Beltz to Wim Fissette also has a personal component, as Wim is a super coach. But it’s all about principle, about symbolism: Angie’s decision to do so is important. It was a big step for her because she usually fremdelt with new people around her, preferably with familiar people. She was also jittery, what will come after this change of coach. But then she gained a lot of self-confidence when she realized: This works. It was simply very good for her personality development – to see that you get new opportunities when you dare to do something unusual.

It wasn’t just a sudden high at the beginning of the year when Angie and her coach reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open. She is the most consistent Grand Slam player of the season – also with the quarter-finals in Paris and now the final in Wimbledon. She radiates a serenity and sovereignty that I have never experienced before. She rests in herself, trusts in her strengths. It’s nice to see what passion and joy she has regained in fighting, in these duels on the big courts, in the matches against the best and very best.

She also needs this passion because she isn’t one that shoots other opponents off the pitch like that. She must always be ready to fight again. In every game. If this strong motivation is not there, as in the difficult year 2017, then it loses the decisive percentage to victory. At that time, she suffered greatly from her own high expectations, but probably could not have imagined what it meant to be number one. The obligations next to the pitch cost a lot of strength and energy, the pressure is increasing anyway – and so is the commitment of the opponents to beat the leading player. It was a hard and lonely time for her.

But Angie’s overcome this crisis. She’s come back stronger and better. She’s a better player in 2018 than 2016, she looks happier, more confident than a person. Is quieter on the pitch, solves problems more independently. You can see that she doesn’t look up to her team as often as before. She’s helping herself. Just like in Wimbledon, where she marched through the tournament like in a tunnel, totally focused, totally clear in her plan. That’s why she can beat Serena Williams. And become the first German Wimbledon winner after Steffi.

Editing: Jörg Allmeroth