When a tennis pro has lost a match, he packs his things, shoulders the sports bag, waves to the audience one last time and usually quietly walks away.

The stage then belongs to the successful opponent, who can share his happiness with everyone in the winner's interview.

Thomas Klemm

sports editor.

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As befits a quarter-final loser, Angelique Kerber was already on her way from Bad Homburg's Center Court when she suddenly turned around and asked for the microphone.

Germany's best tennis lady briefly explained her defeat against the French Alizé Cornet, thanked the audience and the hard-working helpers who contributed to the success of the WTA tournament.

"I hope we'll all see each other again next year," said Kerber to applause.

Some people interpreted the words as a promise that the 34-year-old would not end her active career so quickly and would return to the Kurpark in 2023.

could be good

Or not.

Kerber will drop out of the top 20

Since the premiere last year, Kerber has not only been a participant, but also a tournament ambassador for the Bad Homburg Open.

As such, she gave her spontaneous speech in front of 3,500 spectators on Center Court on Thursday, and as such she will put her heart and soul into it again in 2023.

And as a player?

"I'll be here," the woman from Kiel answered evasively.

Kerber has long since made it clear that she cannot predict when her passion for professional tennis will run dry.

Playful performances like in their almost sold-out home tournament motivate them to keep going.

Unlike the premiere last year, when Angelique Kerber won the title in her own tournament and traveled to Wimbledon at the last minute, this time she can spend a day longer on the London lawn.

She only thinks about the tournament when she arrives in London, said Kerber immediately after her 4: 6, 6: 2 and 1: 6 defeat in the Kurpark against Cornet: "Actually, I wanted to be here until the end to play."

On Friday, the 2018 Wimbledon winner finally had an opportunity to think about the upcoming Grand Slam tournament.

After the draw, Kerber, who was 15th, found out that she was up against Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic in the first round, who is exactly 100 places behind Kerber in 118th place in the world rankings.

In the round of 16 there could be an encounter with world number three Ons Jabeur.

The Tunisian won the lawn tournament in Berlin last weekend.

Angelique Kerber won a lot of world ranking points by reaching the semi-finals in Wimbledon 2021.

Because no new points will be awarded at the lawn classic this year and the old ones will be cancelled, she will drop out of the top 20.

Points and places are no longer of interest to the German number one;

nevertheless, they are decisive for the draws in tournaments.

At Angelique Kerber's side there is a man who grew up sportingly in the region and has had a world career.

Rainer Schüttler, still a member of TC Bad Homburg, played for the Davis Cup team, was in the final of the Australian Open in 2003 and is now in charge of the German women in the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup).

For a few weeks now, the 46-year-old has been referred to on television and on other occasions as the Kerbers coach, which he was officially from November 2018 to July 2019.

That's not true, says Schüttler: "Angie and I are very good friends.

So I offered to help her if she needed help." Whether three months, six months or just for a short time - "we'll see what's up," says the Hessian, who is already busy watching the matches of all German tennis women on place to track.

For his exceptional player, Schüttler has a recommendation for the London trip: "Everything that comes now, she should take with her and enjoy.

She doesn't play Wimbledon that often anymore." On her favorite surface, grass, says the tennis coach, Kerber is capable of anything.