Angelique Kerber at the US Open: “That was a feat and world class

Angelique Kerber can be expected again on the most important tennis arenas.

The 33-year-old left behind disappointing months with some indisputable appearances.

At the US Open, the Kiel woman is self-confident, she seems to have found her way back to her top form.

After her 5: 7, 6: 2, 6: 3 in the high-class duel between two former tournament winners with Sloane Stephens, she seemed calm and concentrated.

The round of 16 against Canada's Leylah Fernandez (7:00 p.m. at Eurosport) is far from over.

“I really want to play as well as I can here. That's my goal, ”said Kerber. She looks forward to every match, she goes step by step. “Let's see how far I can get here.” These are sentences that Kerber has already said many times in her career, with numerous ups and downs like this or something like that. And which could also be heard on the way to their triumphs. Kerber likes it when the expectations of her are not the highest. Because she was most recently in the semifinals of Wimbledon and Cincinnati, she is a co-favorite for some in New York. But the top favorites are others.

The starting position for Kerber's round of 16 on Sunday has suddenly turned.

A duel with defending champion Naomi Osaka was expected.

Of course, after her third-round success, the North German was also asked about her prospects and views for the tricky task against the world number three.

"I think big things about Angie"

A few hours later, the Grand Slam tournament for Osaka was surprisingly over.

7: 5, 6: 7 (2: 7), 4: 6 was the result of the two-time US Open winner against 18-year-old Leylah Fernandez, number 73 in the world rankings.

It was the next sporting setback for Osaka.

The Japanese, who made public three months ago that she was suffering from periods of depression, is considering retiring from the tour for a while.

Kerber is now playing against the unknown Fernandez for the quarter-finals. The US Open winner of 2016 proved that she is ready for it against Stephens, the winner of 2017. Her extraordinary fighting qualities are back. You can no longer be unsettled by residues. She is playing patiently again, but also aggressively - unlike in the first few months of the year.

“That was a feat and world-class tennis,” commented the German women’s boss Barbara Rittner Kerber’s performance on the TV channel Eurosport.

The German number one had previously lost five times in a row to the US-American, who had slipped to 66th place in the world rankings.

Kerber was then happy about the free Saturday.

The 2018 Wimbledon champion outlined her plan for her to train easily, to be treated and to eat well.

Just “relax and don't do a lot”.

Her appearances in New York so far agree with Boris Becker's prognosis, who had given her a lot of confidence even before the start.

In round one, the world number 17 freed itself.

from the set deficit against the uncomfortable Ukrainian Dajana Jastremska and asserted herself with nerves in the decisive tiebreak.

In lap two, she did not let herself be disturbed by the fact that the night before she was stuck on the tennis court due to the heavy storm and spent a few hours on a physio lounger. Against the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina she had suffered a severe setback at the French Open with the defeat in round one.

“I really like Angie. Your environment is intact again, the self-confidence is there, ”said Becker. “It turned an average year into a good to very good one and now has the chance to maybe play another Grand Slam final.” The starting point for the change was Bad Homburg, when Kerber longed for a double role as tournament ambassador and player Acclaimed title. Then she only lost twice - against world number one Ashleigh Barty. Kerber could only meet the Australian at the US Open in the final.