Siegemund and Zvonareva - or: The distance between lovers
Laura Siegemund was the first German since Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in 1985 to reach the final in women's doubles at the US Open. It is the first tournament that she plays together with the Russian Vera Zvonareva - and after reaching the finals she initially kept her distance.
by SID
last edit:
Sep 09, 2020, 09:23 pm
Vera Zvonareva backed away in horror when her doubles partner Laura Siegemund rushed towards her after the transformed match point. "She was afraid that I would fall around her neck and that we would be disqualified because we were getting too close," said Siegemund and had to laugh out loud: "I'm really such an emotional person and I like to jump in the air. I miss that here somehow. "
Otherwise, the 32-year-old from Metzingen is not missing much luck at the US Open. As the first German since tournament winner Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 35 years ago, Siegemund is in the women's doubles final in New York. On the morning after the semi-final victory against the Russians Anna Blinkowa and Veronika Kudermetova, the congratulations came from far away Saarbrücken.
"That's really cool," said Claudia Kohde-Kilsch to the SID: "I keep my fingers crossed for Laura that she can bring the title back to Germany." But whatever the final will end: "She can be extremely proud, because a Grand Slam final is a Grand Slam final, regardless of whether it is singles or doubles. You don't play that every week."
"Love at first sight"
Siegemund's chances for the final are rated by "CKK" as good: "In Vera Zvonareva Laura has a strong and experienced partner at her side, and she also plays a huge tournament herself." Remarkably, the first ever with Zvonareva. "It doesn't matter," says Kohde-Kilsch: "If it fits, then it fits. Then it's like love at first sight."
Especially for the "lovers" in doubles, it is particularly difficult in Corona times. "We're sitting on the bench and actually can't talk about our tactics at all," said Siegemund: "We're three meters apart, so we can go straight to the opponents and talk to them."
Before the final on Friday (from 6:00 p.m. CEST / Eurosport) against number three seeded Nicole Melichar / Xu Yifan (USA / China) Siegemund and Zvonareva have a two-day break, Siegemund allows itself a day "to switch off". The specific training only begins on Thursday with a view to the opponents, who are only then determined.
Siegemund would like to "go into the countryside, into nature, sometimes really away from the grounds". The Bubble in New York does not offer this way out, but "they have now come to terms with it and found their quiet places."
Siegemund listens to their instinct - with success
Vera Zvonareva doesn’t have to worry that Laura Siegemund will be bothered by Laura Siegemund on the two days off. Siegemund attributes the fact that this double exists to her instinct. "I thought that might fit well," she said: "My instincts have often proven to be correct, and this time it hit the mark too."
Until now, Siegemund had no idea that she had been the first German in the women's doubles final of the US Open in 35 years: "But you can't buy anything from that alone in the end." During a tournament she deals as little as possible with such stories: "But still: It's nice to know."