Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - the 1990s: Anke Huber surprised, Martina Hingis started her world career
Anke Huber's first victory at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix came as a surprise, in the end only Martina Hingis was confronted with a three-pack. For "Miss Swiss", the victory in Filderstadt was the start of a great career.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit:
Apr 22, 2020, 09:27 am
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2020 is unfortunately canceled due to the corona pandemic. In a tennisnet special, we look back with our partner Porsche in exclusive interviews and extensive articles on the most beautiful stories of the past years.
Everything was actually done. Martina Navratilova was the series winner of the 1980s at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and this German shooting star, the only 16-year-old Anke Huber, world ranked 21st? Well, for the "Grande Dame" an easy opponent on her way to the sixth title.
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But Huber, young, without pressure and with courageous tennis, was not by chance in the final. On the way there she had beaten only better placed opponents with Lori McNeil, Natalia Zvereva, Zina Garrison and Helena Sukova. After a good 6: 2 in set one for the 35-year-old Navratilova (WTA No. 4), Huber left all nervousness behind. The enthusiastic audience took care of the rest. 6: 2, 7: 6 ended in a three-movement thriller for the girl from Karlsruhe, it was rarely louder in Filderstadt that had a new favorite.
Anke Huber also wins in 1994
Huber also delivered in the following years. In 1992 she came back as a top ten player and lost to Mary Joe Fernandez in three sets in the semifinals, in 1994 she won again, this time against Mary Pierce in the final.
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Hingis wins its first title - out of 43
The fact that Huber had two wins - the next youngster was "to blame" for that. Marina Hingis, just recently moved into the top ten, won the final in three sets in 1996, celebrating her first tournament victory on the tour; It should be 43 by the end of his career, including five Grand Slam titles in singles. Nevertheless: "I was annoyed about it, there was more in it," said Huber in retrospect.
For Hingis, Filderstadt should be the starting shot at the top: just a few months later, in January 1997, she won her first major tournament at the Australian Open, and in March she replaced Steffi Graf at the top of the world rankings.
Filderstadt remained loyal to Hingis - also as the winner: in 1997, 1999 and 2000 she won again at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. And her request at the final victory, whether she could perhaps exchange the Porsche Boxster S that had just been received for a Carrera? Of course, they were happy to comply.
The tournament winners of the 1990s in Filderstadt
| year | Winner | Finalist | Result |
| 1990 | Mary Joe Fernandez | Barbara Paulus | 6: 1, 6: 3 |
| 1991 | Anke Huber | Martina Navratilova | 2: 6, 6: 2, 7: 6 |
| 1992 | Martina Navratilova | Gabriela Sabatini | 7: 6, 6: 3 |
| 1993 | Mary Pierce | Natalia Zvereva | 6: 3, 6: 3 |
| 1994 | Anke Huber | Mary Pierce | 6: 4, 6: 2 |
| 1995 | Iva Majoli | Gabriela Sabatini | 6: 4, 7: 6 |
| 1996 | Martina Hingis | Anke Huber | 6: 2, 3: 6, 6: 3 |
| 1997 | Martina Hingis | Lisa Raymond | 6: 4, 6: 2 |
| 1998 | Sandrine Testud | Lindsay Davenport | 7: 5, 6: 3 |
| 1999 | Martina Hingis | Mary Pierce | 6: 4, 6: 1 |
More articles:
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Myth of the winning car
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - the 1970s: Tracy Austin dominates at will
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - the 1980s: Martina Navratilova collects one Porsche after another
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