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Anke Huber: I look back on my career with pride and satisfaction

Former World No. 4 Anke Huber says she looks back at her career with pride and satisfaction and loves her current job of being involved in the Porsche Grand Prix event in Stuttgart.

Huber retired in 2001 after a career in which she won 12 WTA titles - she also reached the final of the Australian Open Grand Slam in 1996. 

In an interview to the Tennisnet.com, Huber says, "I look back on my career with pride and satisfaction. When I played my last season in 2001, I really wanted to gain distance, not to do something with tennis again. But Udo Cervellini, then tournament director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, persuaded me to join as the sporting director. I refused a couple of times, put him off later, but he just didn't let go. In retrospect, I am of course very happy that he was so stubborn at the time. In 2005 Markus Günthardt came on board as tournament director. Since then I have been working very closely and trustingly with him. I am primarily responsible for keeping in touch with the players throughout the year, signing them up for the tournament and looking after them in Stuttgart. During the tournament week, I also coordinate the various activities of the players, such as autograph sessions, and keep in touch with the WTA. Crazy actually: At the beginning I didn't really want this job - and now I've been doing it for 19 years. And I still enjoy it a lot. ”

Huber reached the finals in Stuttgart on three occasions, winning it twice and says it was her favourite tournament in Germany, "The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has always been my favorite tournament in Germany. I always enjoyed playing the other tournaments in Germany, but with very different results. I was never particularly successful in Hamburg and Berlin, but sand wasn't exactly my favorite surface either. Things went better in Filderstadt and later in Leipzig, if not always great. As much as I enjoyed playing in Germany, I was too rarely able to use the home advantage. I mostly put myself under too much pressure - unfortunately."

One of those wins in Stuttgart came in 1991 over the legendary Martina Navratilova. "I came back in 1991 and did a run to the finals. The place came towards me, the fast surface and the spectators were fully behind me. I also benefited from my carelessness. I was only 16 years old, so I had little thought and played loose, I had nothing to lose. But this time everything was fine. In every match I had an opponent who was better placed, including world-class players like Zina Garrison and Helena Sukova - the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix always had a great field back then. Before I really realized what was happening, I was in the final - against the great Martina Navratilova. From the final against Navratilova, I still remember how much the spectators cheered me on, especially after the lost first set. Martina was a star, had won five times in Filderstadt and was of course popular. But I was young, plus from Germany and even from the area - that probably got the audience on my side. I could hardly believe I actually beat Martina Navratilova after over three hours and won my home tournament."



from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2KqdOS3

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