Angelique Kerber connects to dismantle Gibbs at Toray Pan
"I've been here like over ten years ago...maybe it was like 17 years ago when I was a junior. I am enjoying my time here again..." Angelique Kerber confessed and laughed after winning her third round over America's qualifier Nicole Gibbs 6-2, 6-4. Kerber's losing deluge was broken and the experience was great as she hadn't gathered a win since the grassy knolls of Wimbledon. Nicole Gibbs had her triumphs too since coming back from the removal of a cancerous growth in her mouth this past summer. She was indeed an irritant to Kerber as she played her game so very finely in the beginning of the set. She sliced and diced Kerber's shots and they had an interesting duel of rallies and mixed spins and drop shots. It looked as though Gibbs would grab the first set but her winning shots started to fizzle into unforced errors. Kerber in return gathered momentum to produce solid winners of down-the-lines and cross court challenging winners for the opening set 6-2.
The second set was a bit of an annoyance that Gibbs put on Kerber's game again. Gibbs certainly had what it took to win many points over the German. It was her cross court victory shots and opening up the court tactics that showed integrity. But those nasty unforced errors kept creeping up at crucial points. It was Kerber's consistency to execute wonderful shots at important times giving her the second set win 6-4 and match of 6-2, 6-4.
This match was important for Kerber to build up not only great shots but a boost of confidence that she can prove herself a winner again. Besides from too many opening rounds of tournaments lost, Kerber has went through many coaching changes which has brought a compromise to her gamesmanship. Wims Fissette she had parted with and picked up Rainer Schuettler. Despite the fact of him not being involved in the WTA tour, this meant nothing to Kerber. "It was particularly important that we speak the same language," she emphasized. This could be taken in two ways being that he is German and that they are on the same page with how her career and strategies should go. The relationship lasted only eight months and after a slump in performances, Kerber decided that he would have to depart. "Moving forward, it's never easy to change--especially when you work with great people like Rainer," she said on her social media. It was under his coaching that she reached two finals but didn't win any championships. It was the July departure that had to be made. Kerber's new coach is Dirk Dier, a German who played professional tennis in 1990. He is the national coach of the German Tennis Association (DTB) and was hired by her during the Asian Swing. There may have been results already as she's starting to win again.
After the Gibbs match the German may have been a bit breathy, but it was all good in breaking that nasty losing streak. She gave kudos to Gibbs saying "She really played well..." Kerber also gave herself a pat on the back with a big grin contributing her win in saying "I was ready to play every single point..."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2O9olnD
No comments