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Category Archives: Sabine Lisicki
Porsche Team Germany thrills with classy tennis and fighting spirit
Fed Cup, 1st Round in the Porsche Arena, Stuttgart: Germany – Czech Republic
Fans in der Porsche-Arena
Stuttgart.In the opening tie of the 2012 Fed Cup season, Porsche Team Germany thrilled the sell-out crowd in the Porsche Arena with their great fighting spirit and excellent tennis – even though it did not suffice for them to progress to the hoped-for semifinal berth in the first round match against title-holders the Czech Republic.
Image via Wikipedia - Eingang Porsche Arena in Stuttgart
Though unable able to take their chances in the decisive moments, Sabine Lisicki, Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber and Anna-Lena Grönefeld nevertheless showed themselves to be a strong team in the 4-1 defeat.
Barbara Rittner (l.), Angelique Kerber, Porsche Team Deutschland
“We’re leaving Stuttgart with a great feeling,” said captain Barbara Rittner when summing up the Fed Cup weekend.
“I’m so-so proud of the girls. They’ve showed they’re highly talented and can excite the spectators.
Everything is very positive even though it wasn’t enough to win against such a strong opponent. Now we’re hoping for the luck of the draw and will do our very best to stay in the World Group.”
After Sabine Lisicki surprisingly lost the first rubber on Saturday 6-2, 4-6, 2-6 against Iveta Benesova and Julia Görges’ 6-3, 3-6, 8-10 defeat against Petra Kvitova in a high-class tennis thriller, Porsche Team Germany stood with their backs to the wall on Sunday.
Sabine Lisicki had to win to keep her team in the race to the semis, Cheered on by the Stuttgart crowd, the German, who played nowhere near her best the day before, took the first set 6-2.
Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Deutschland
She continued to play well in the second set against the Wimbledon champion and the current world No. 2 but eventually succumbed 6-4. In the third, the Czech proved to be too strong when running out a 6-2 winner.
“We’re obviously very disappointed. Nevertheless I’m very proud to have played much better today than I did yesterday,” said Sabine Lisicki, the world No. 14.
“Yesterday, I immediately lost plot when things weren’t going well. Today I served far better and my groundshots were also better. Unfortunately though I didn’t win the vital points and it made all the difference.
However these kind of matches are the ones that help me to improve this aspect of my game.”
With a bit of luck in the draw, the play-off, whereby the winning nation will contest the 2013 World Group, could also be staged in the Porsche Arena on 21 and 22 April.
Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Deutschland
Sabine Lisicki would be more than happy:
“It’s great playing at home.
The atmosphere in the Porsche Arena is awesome. It’s such fun and really motivating.”
In the second rubber of the day, Angelique Kerber notched up the first point for Porsche Team Germany.
Angelique Kerber, Porsche Team Deutschland
The German, who was one of last season’s top up-and-coming players after reaching the semifinals at the US Open, had relatively little trouble in overcoming Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4.
Lucie Hradecka (CZ)
Angelique Kerber, Porsche Team Deutschland
“I’m so proud to have won my first Fed Cup singles for Germany,” she said.
“Even though it made no difference to the result, I gave my all – also for the crowd which has given us such fantastic support over the past two days.”
Iveta Benesova/Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova won the concluding doubles 6-3, 7-6 against Julia Görges/Anna-Lena Grönefeld.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
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Porsche Team Germany – Fed Cup, 1st Round in the Porsche Arena, Stuttgart
Porsche Arena
Fed Cup, 1st Round in the Porsche Arena, Stuttgart: Germany – Czech Republic
Porsche Team Germany still hoping to reach semis
Tennis Fedcup World Group First Round 2012 – Germany Czech Republic in Stuttgart Germany – Porsche Team Deutschland: Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Sabine Lisicki, Barbara Rittner, Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber (v.l.)
Stuttgart. Porsche Team Germany hasn’t give up hope yet of reaching the Fed Cup semifinals.
Porsche Team Deutschland: Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber, Barbara Rittner, Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Sabine Lisicki (v. l.)
Even though, in spite of putting up stiff resistance, they are 2-0 behind at the end of the first day of the first round tie against title holders the Czech Republic in the Porsche Arena, captain Barbara Rittner still feels they are in with a chance of advancing.
“We’re not going to let our heads drop,”
she said, “Nothing’s lost yet.”
At the premiere of Porsche Team Germany, the sell-out crowd in the Porsche Arena experienced an unbelievably exciting tennis thriller. Julia Görges, who celebrated the biggest success of her career by winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at the same venue one year ago, played out of her skin against Petra Kvitova.
Julia Görges, Porsche Team Deutschland
Petra Kvitova (CZ)
In the third set of the top class match, she had the Wimbledon champion and winner of the WTA Championships 2011 on the verge of a defeat. The German eventually went down 6-3, 3-6, 8-10 against the current world No. 2.
“In the first moments after such a tight match one’s naturally disappointed,” she said, but, “I can’t put any blame on myself but it just wasn’t enough in the end.
Nevertheless we’re not giving up. We’re a strong team and it’s not all over in such a situation.”
Commenting on her return to the Porsche Arena she said: “I had goose bumps all over. I really enjoyed everything out there. It’s an unbelievably nice feeling when everybody’s right behind you.”
In the opening rubber, Sabine Lisicki surprisingly lost 6-2, 4-6, 2-6 against Iveta Benesova. After taking the first set comfortably, it seemed the German, the world No. 14, would win the first point for Porsche Team Germany.
Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Deutschland
Iveta Benesova (CZ)
But then in the second set she failed to convert the chances she had to break and proceeded to let the match slip.
“I played aggressively from the start and kept fighting to the end,” said the visibly disappointed Lisicki, “but I didn’t serve hard enough and I couldn’t get any length in my shots.
It was the main reason why I wasn’t able to turn the match around in the third set.” She had no problems with pressure of being the team’s No. 1: “I normally play better under pressure.
But unfortunately it didn’t work out that way today. I hope I can show it again tomorrow.”
In spite of trailing the defending champions, Barbara Rittner is still hoping her players can pull off a surprise on Sunday.
Barbara Rittner, Julia Görges, Petra Kvitova (v.l.)
“Julia forced Petra to dig very deep physically in a fantastic match and Sabine can definitely play much better than she did today,” said the German captain.
“Up until the moment the Czech Republic wins the third point, then nothing’s decided.”
Starting at 11.00 am (local time), two further singles and a doubles will be played in the Porsche Arena on Sunday.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
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Porsche Tennis Grand Prix – A tennis fairy-tale comes true for Sabine Lisicki
From her comeback at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix to the Wimbledon semifinals
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
A tennis fairy-tale comes true for Sabine Lisicki
Stuttgart. Even though the dream of reaching the Wimbledon final has not yet come true, Sabine Lisicki, who, after a long injury break, celebrated a marvellous comeback at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, is back amongst the world’s best after her brilliant performance at the most important grand slam tournament.
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
“Whoever makes it to the Wimbledon semifinals is also ready for the really big wins,” said Markus Günthardt, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament director.
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
The tennis summer fairy-tale, with Sabine Lisicki in the leading role, began just before Easter when the organisers of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix handed the 21-year-old German a wild card for the tournament where, two years previously, she had been a crowd favourite,
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
“She’s had a terrible time,” said Anke Huber, the operating tournament director. “We’re convinced she’ll get over the setback and she’s quite capable of beating top players on her day. And we wanted to give her the chance at our tournament.”
Sabine Lisicki was world ranked 218 at the time and she took the chance by the horns. She was only beaten at the quarterfinal stage by her Fed Cup team-mate Julia Görges, who eventually went on to win the tournament.
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
Nevertheless she, after the initial disappointment had disappeared, appeared at the post match press conference with a big smile on her face. It was the same smile that has captivated tennis fans around the world.
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
“I’m a little proud of myself to have come so far at such a big tournament,” she said. “I gave it my all. I can slowly feel my confidence is returning and I’ve definitely made a massive step forward here in Stuttgart.”
But it was only the start. In Birmingham she won her second career WTA title after Charleston in 2009. And she was given a wild card for Wimbledon. Once again she justified the faith placed in her in the tennis Mecca in London SW19. In the second round, she knocked out, as she did in Stuttgart, the French Open winner Li Na. In the quarters in front of a 15,000 crowd on Centre Court, she once again showed her mettle and determination when, in spite of not being able to convert three match points, defeating.
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
The Frenchwoman had previously eliminated out the former world No. 1 Serena Williams. She was the first German to make it to the semifinals of a grand slam tournament since Steffi Graf in 1999. But her tennis fairy-tale did not have a happy end – superstar Maria Sharapova was (still) too strong for her.
The year’s most improved player has also delighted Markus Günthardt. However he is not surprised by her sensational Wimbledon performance.
“The way she played at our tournament and the way she won against Li Na on clay, it was obvious she was going to rise quickly up the rankings,” he said. “Her tennis is definitely at the same level as it was before her injury problems. And her road to the top is nowhere near at an end.”
Sabine Lisicki (GER)
In the new world rankings published, Sabine Lisicki will move up to number 27.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media Database
Public Relations and Media
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
PORSCHE TENNIS: Sabine Lisicki with a win in Birmingham and a wild card for Wimbledon
Upturn in German women’s tennis continues
Stuttgart. Successful Wimbledon dress rehearsal for Sabine Lisick: on Monday, one week before the All England Championships in London, the 21-year-old German won the grass court tournament in Birmingham.
A comfortable 6-3, 6-2 winner in the final against the Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, she has continued the upwards trend she displayed at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Playing in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart over Easter, the Berliner reached the quarterfinals and enjoyed a magnificent return to the top echelons of women’s tennis after a long injury lay-off.
In Birmingham, Sabine Lisicki was not only able to celebrate her second WTA title after Charleston 2009. She has also received a wild card for the Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon, which begins on 20 June.
The young German star received good news the day before, as she found out that she had been awarded a wild-card entry to Wimbledon.
After the match, Lisicki told reporters that she was overcome with happiness.
“It’s [been] an amazing week,” Lisicki said. “I am in disbelief. I am shaking. The comeback from injury was so difficult, it means so much to me.”
“If I hadn’t been given the wild card, I would have been playing the qualifying on Tuesday—and it will be very helpful to be able to rest for a couple of days instead. But I don’t want to put pressure on myself.”
Two years ago, Lisicki was a Wimbledon quarterfinalist.
In winning against the No. 4 seed Daniela Hantuchova, Sabine Lisicki has also continued the dramatic upturn in German women’s tennis. She is already the third German WTA winner this year after her Fed Cup teammates Julia Görges won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart and Andrea Petkovic the tournament in Strasbourg.
SOURCE: Public Relations and Media Database
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Claus-Peter Andorka
Biography: Sabine Vasilievna Katharina Lisicki (born 22 September 1989 in Troisdorf) is a professional German tennis player. She achieved her career high rank of World No. 22 on 3 August 2009. She lives in Bradenton, Florida. Lisicki is the daughter of first-generation Polish immigrants.
Source: Wikipedia
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