What a great week this has been for the 22 years old Julia Goerges! Her form at the end of last season hinted to future success, but I don't think that anyone was expecting her to shine so quickly and in such a manner. She entered Stuttgart, the only indoor clay-court event on the WTA calendar, ranked just outside the top 30 and still struggling to find her top form. However, inspired and pushed by a frenzy of German supporters, Julia was able to capture a magnificent week by conquering her first Premier title at the the only tour stop hosted by her country.
She started the week with a quick first round disposal of Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek. Next, she took advance of Victoria Azarenka's withdrawal to become the fourth German to reach the quarterfinals. The Belarus had to stop after winning the first set 6-4. Her next opponent was her younger and more famous compatriot, Sabine Lisicki. Julia came out the strongest of the two, ensuring a tough 6-4, 6-4 win. In the semifinals she showed strength and determination to hold off the powerful fight back of last year's Roland Garros runner-up, Australian Samantha Stosur. She won the match 7-5 in the decider. She carried the winning momentum on to the final. Consequently, this time she had the right game plan and the mental strength to challenge world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki, to whom she had lost in two previous meetings, thus denying the Dane her fourth title of the year.
There were several weapons on which Julia relied heavily, especially during her last two battles. Firstly, her powerful serve. She was never broken by Wozniacki, one of the finest returners in women's tennis. Moreover, during her clash with Stosur, she served an impressive number of aces, at one point even holding a 1 ace per game record. Additionally, her second serve was utterly efficient also, the Dane barely managing to win any points when the occasion arose. Secondly, her aggressive game. The young German is surely not afraid to go after her shots. She can hit winners on both sides and the astonishing 38 winners, compared to Caroline's 10, clearly indicate that she is a shot-maker rather than a defender.
I think it was really important for Goerges to win the title. Nowadays, so many players experience dream runs to the final, but most of them come up short when it matters most. By showing she possesses the capacity to seize her chances, she proved she is a true champion. Moreover, her win over a reigning world number one should boost her confidence and help her obtain more success in the near future.
Summing everything up, this was probably the best week for German tennis in many, many years now. With four players reaching the quarterfinals, with Julia winning the trophy and with Lisicki teaming up with Stosur to win the double's title, I would say that this Sunday's Easter finally brought this nation reasons to celebrate. With three young guns unleashing their assault on the top of the rankings, the future is once again looking promising for the German fans.
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| Julia conquered the biggest title of her career in front of a partisan Stuttgart crowd, beating world number 1, Caroline Wozniacki, 7-6,6-3 in the final. |
photos: GETTY IMAGES
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