On the opening weekend of the 48th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix where there is a Porsche Macan Turbo Electric at stake for the winner, Eva Lys showed that she is not only back to full health but is also highly motivated upon her return to the big stage. “Luckily enough I feel fit as a fiddle again,” said the 23-year-old who withdrew from the Billie Jean King Cup for health reasons. It means, she is looking forward even more to appearing in Stuttgart: “I was really sad in the past few years that I missed the tournament. I’m naturally all the happier to be given such a fantastic chance here.” Receiving a main draw wild card is something special for her: “It’s a favourite tournament for all of us tennis players.”
She sees her first round match against Jasmine Paolini as a valuable challenge: “I’ve played her once already this year – things went better in the second set and I noticed where I can hurt her with my game.” She feels at home indoors as the conditions are constant: “No wind, nothing to bother you, I like it a lot.” She went into some detail when talking about her personal development: “I always tell myself, I want to be a bit better than last time.” Instead of setting firm objectives, she focuses more on her game: “If I get in the right mindset then I only seldom have bad matches.”
Talking about German women’s tennis, she pleads for patience and trust in the young generation. “I feel, we’ve got some mega, mega good girls coming through,” said Lys. She pointed to the structural differences in developing youngsters like for instance compulsory school attendance or limited practice opportunities in Germany and stressed: “The most important thing is experience. For herself, she has a clear goal: “I want to advance German women’s tennis – this year and in the next years.”
Siegemund about her opener, team spirit and the feeling of being home
Laura Siegemund will kick off the tournament week with an all-German encounter against Jule Niemeier – a match she matter-of-factly classifies as: “I see it like every first round. The nice thing is that a German will advance.” Looking back on the disappointing Billie Jean King Cup, she stressed the team spirit. “We had a bug going around and weren’t fit, but remain a team even when things are going rubbish.” She now feels better: “I wasn’t fit last week but things are getting better – I’ve had a good practice session.”
In addition to the tennis preparations, the emotional components also play a role for Siegemund. “The court is the same. It always feels pretty similar,” said the 2017 winner. The fact she celebrated her biggest successes at the venue is something that additionally motivates her: “You simply have a different feeling here knowing that you once played really well.” She is particularly looking forward playing in front of the crowds she knows so well: “It’s so nice having a tournament where your friends that don’t travel can also watch.”
Porsche in Tennis
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the flagship of Porsche’s worldwide involvement in women’s tennis. First played in Filderstadt in 1978, the long-standing Stuttgart tournament has been held in the city’s Porsche Arena since 2006. It stands for tradition and innovation, as does the Porsche brand. As the most loyal sponsor of women’s international tennis, Porsche has accompanied the WTA’s oldest indoor event right from the start. Porsche has also been supporting women’s tennis internationally for years. Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari are “Friends of the Brand” in their home countries. Porsche has been a premium partner of the “Deutsche Tennis Bund” (DTB – German Tennis Association) since 2012 and is committed to fostering up-and-coming players in the Porsche Talent Team and the Porsche Junior Team.
