Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Laura Siegemund on a double mission – the double queen enters the home game with a tail wind

Things had to happen very quickly for Laura Siegemund on Saturday evening. From the Central Court in Sao Paulo, which he had presided over for two days, he immediately went to the airport, to the runway and boarded a plane to Germany.

Every hour counted for preparation and regeneration before the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, which started this Monday with the first main draw matches.

Jet lag has been an issue since arriving in Stuttgart, Siegemund admitted in an interview with reporters on Monday. From the outside, the 36-year-old in the press center did not show any signs of travel or effort.

Siegemund, the standout player in Germany’s two-time Billie Jean King Cup away qualifier in Brazil, exuded understanding, confidence and energy ahead of her home tournament.

The Filderstadt native, who turned 36 last month, was already committed to doubling up after serious knee injuries, rehabilitation phases and physical results.

Siegemund announced this in the press before the Australian Open 2023, and reached the third round there – in singles, mind you. In autumn she managed to enter the individual finals of the WTA tournament in Warsaw, as well as two quarterfinals in Asia.

Now, in the spring of 2024, a brilliant performance in Brazil with a victory over French Open semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia in front of 10,000 frenzied South American fans.

The winner of Stuttgart from 2017 still has the ability to temporarily integrate tennis on the world courts, which can still be kept open for an expanded world elite structure. This was evident in Siegemund before his start at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

“After going through a lot of injury phases, I’m at a point where everything that comes is a big bonus,” admitted Siegemund. However, he is a very ambitious person.

“That’s why I want to increase the bonus and not just have fun. I’m playing well and feeling good physically, and that’s what we saw in Brazil.”

In the world rankings, he is back in the top 90 and has qualified directly for the main fields of the Grand Slam. The world doubles ranking ranks him sixth.

Last but not least, a victory in the WTA finals with partner Vera Zvonareva suggests that the ranking could be higher.

Sometimes he has to stop himself and remember how nice it is that he can play at this level again.

“But I’ve been saying that for years.” The fact that he can play well again for a long time is a great achievement. “But there’s also work behind it. It doesn’t just happen. For almost six years I’ve been completing rehab programs between tournaments and making sure I don’t play too much. We’re doing a good job there.”

Siegemund means Antonio Zucca, who has accompanied him as a coach since 2018 and with whom he has had a personal relationship for several years, has moved the center of his life to Sardinia, the home of the former professional.

Together they work hard, both athletically and physically, to expand their careers and carefully consider which tournaments will be played – and which will not be played.

And despite the good individual results, tournament scheduling remains a business decision that favors two-person tournaments. Siegemund said Monday that he had no choice.

“If I’m ranked, then of course I’ll play singles and then that’s a bit of a priority.” But tournament planning is doubly dependent.

“I’m playing bigger tournaments, which is important for my doubles planning, and in singles then I’m playing the qualifiers there instead of being in the main draw at the smaller events.” In Miami, with three wins, they made it through to the second major round.

“I’m playing well and holding well, or rather moving forward again. I’ve worked hard to be right in the main draw again at the Grand Slams,” explained Siegemund.

As always, he will be competing in singles and doubles in Stuttgart. She will not get a chance against Ukraine’s Marta Kostjuk on Wednesday.

However, the Ukrainian traveled to Stuttgart with a proposal for the final in San Diego and ran to the semifinals in Indian Wells, but according to Siegemund, he soon had physical problems. She will compete in doubles on Tuesday – with her regular doubles partner, Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

There was no declaration of war against his opponent, with whom he had never played before. “Most of all, it’s nice to be home again. I don’t come here often anymore. I’m looking forward to the home crowd after the away game in Brazil.”

An experienced national player can be sure of the support of the home crowd. It is not known how many times he will be able to feel this good state. Her German colleagues in Stuttgart, Tatjana Maria, and Angelique Kerber, who returned after a child break, are also 36 years old and at the end of the autumn of their careers.

Young talents Ella Seidel, Nastasja Schunk and Carolina Kuhl were eliminated in the first qualifying round in Stuttgart. Eva Lys was in Brazil as a substitute player for the German team.

Noma Noha Akugue’s path has seen many ups and downs since he reached the final in Hamburg. Jule Niemeier is taking a different route to return to his former power through small foreign competitions

“We try to pass on a little bit of our experience to the young players. I see fire in one or two of them, we talk a lot and try to play well for a while and help,” explained Siegemund.