World number one seed Angelique Kerber, as reported here on Ubi Tennis, saw her Roland Garros dreams go down the drain after falling to 40th ranked Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. The two-time Grand Slam champion became the first top seeded woman in the modern era to lose in the opening round of the French Open. Furthermore, the aforementioned match highlighted the glaring disparity between the players was as extensive as the scores suggest.
Angelique Kerber v Ekaterina Makarova Highlights – Women’s Round 1 2017 I Roland-Garros
Angelique Kerber v Ekaterina Makarova Highlights – Women’s Round 1 2017 I Roland-Garros. Relive the best moments from the women’s first round of 2017 French Open opposing Angelique Kerber and Ekaterina Makarova. Ekaterina Makarova won 6/2 – 6/2 Visit Roland Garros’ official website: http://rg.fr/RGweb Subscribe to our channel: http://rg.fr/ytrgin Follow us!
Kerber, who won seven out of the previous 11 matches against Makarova, came into the match as the odds-on favourite. However, as soon as the games started, Kerber seemed to struggle. Facing a fellow left-handed player, Kerber struggled with her opponent’s blistering forehand winners right from the get-go. In addition, it didn’t help her cause that she struggled on the service line, as well as committed too many unforced errors. It’s probably safe to say that Kerber was not the same player the tennis world had witnessed for the duration of 2016.
Angelique Kerber – Press Conference after Round 1 2017 I Roland-Garros
Angelique Kerber – Press Conference after Round 1 2017 I Roland-Garros. Watch Angelique Kerber’s press conference after the match against Ekaterina Makarova at the Roland-Garros 2017 women’s Round 1. Ekaterina Makarova won 6/2 – 6/2. Visit Roland Garros’ official website: http://rg.fr/RGweb Subscribe to our channel: http://rg.fr/ytrgin Follow us!
In the past couple of months, it seems like Angelique Kerber has been lacking the same intensity she had last season, a year that saw her climb up the ranks and battle her way to two Grand Slam titles. During her loss in the opening round of the French Open, the German lacked the power and speed to challenge her Russian opponent. As many might recall, the 29-year-old Kerber withdrew from the Madrid Open earlier this year with a nagging thigh injury. Not long after, she fell in straight sets to qualifier Anna Kontaveit in Rome. Many tennis pundits consider this as much a mental problem as it is physical.
Tennis, just like any other sport, involves the perfect combination of physical attributes and psychological toughness. In other words, injuries are not the only problems; it also has something to do with a player’s mentality going into a match. Sports journalist Ren Gates, who is a regular contributor to tennis resource Play Your Court, cites how Kerber has always been prone to mental lapses in the past. So much so that she was put on the list of potential early upsets to watch out for even though she was just a couple of weeks removed from winning her first ever Australian Open crown. This is where the importance of understanding and treating the mental side of Kerber’s game come into play. Outside factors such as the constant travelling and the intense pressure of being number one, can trigger issues that affect her performance on the court, which is why it should be addressed as soon as possible.
Every player is subject to the same principles of human existence. It is a continuous cycle of ups and downs, triumphs and failures. Though her recent performance is nowhere near close to 2016’s spectacular run, it does not mean she is on her way out. This current tennis season still has a long way to go. There are two more Grand Slam tournaments on the horizon, on top of a bunch of WTA events in between.
For Angelique Kerber, to solidify her status as one of the best tennis players in the world, she has to get over this current hump and find her rhythm soon. All professional athletes at some point in their career are faced with similar challenges, and need a high level of mental fortitude for them to face these adversities head-on. We’ve seen the likes of Roger Federer and Serena Williams mount comebacks, as well as Petra Kvitova’s fairytale return in the past, so there’s certainly no point counting out Kerber just yet despite her blip in form.
Mark Lewis
