For the only German wheelchair tennis player in Paris, Katharina Krüger, the Paralympics adventure is already over in the first round. She was clearly defeated by world number one Diede de Groot from the Netherlands by 1:6 and 0:6.
Krüger was strong at the start of her fifth Paralympics. She played boldly forward and surprisingly took the gold favorite’s first service game. “Katharina got off to a good start, attacked the balls and went for the points early,” said her coach Niklas Höfken after the match: “That was what we had discussed.” De Groot started nervously. Many of her balls initially landed out of bounds or in the net.
But the 27-year-old Dutchwoman quickly recovered, countered with a rebreak and regained her usual confidence. “I prepared my points well,” says Katharina Krüger, “but when the balls came back, I was often in a bad position and at some point I was no longer able to exert any pressure.”
De Groot, who has won 15 Grand Slams in a row, seized her chance and began to dominate the match as expected. The Tokyo gold medalist won the first set in singles and doubles with a clear 6-1 score.
Every turn and every curve the players made on Court Suzanne-Lenglen at Roland-Garros left vivid traces in the red sand. The lines crossed and swirled around as Krüger and de Groot continued to trade blows intensely in the second set. Every time Krüger played a strong shot, de Groot countered with an even better one.
The fans repeatedly wanted to applaud Krüger after what they thought were safe points. But even in these moments, the Dutch player de Groot was there and kept the upper hand. “For a moment, you think you’ve played a really good ball and expect an easier ball back to build up more pressure,” says Krüger, “but then a long ball comes and I have to start again.” That’s very difficult in the long run, but it happens again and again against a top player like de Groot.
The luck of the draw remains
Shortly before the end of the second set, the score was 40:15 for the Dutchwoman. Krüger was able to score a point and shorten the lead. The stadium became loud and the fans applauded the underdog. “The atmosphere was incredible because all the spectators were really interested,” said Krüger. “It’s completely different to the Grand Slams, where wheelchair tennis is often just a side event.”
De Groot continued her strong performance and gave Krüger no chance to turn the game around. Krüger fended off the first match point, but shortly afterwards her participation in the Paralympics was over. The fact that she met a top favorite in the first round did not upset Krüger. She could have used a bit of luck in the draw, but that did not happen. “So for me it was just about giving it my all, enjoying the moment that I am allowed to be here, and seeing what happens.”
Only one German tennis player, Krüger, was able to qualify for the Paralympics. Britta Wend, Toni Dittmar, Marcus Laudan and Max Laudan were unable to get their ticket to Paris. Krüger is incredibly proud. “To be allowed to compete here, I had to perform consistently well for a whole year,” she says. Her coach was also satisfied: “It was great to compete here in Roland Garros and to train with her on this facility.”
Krüger is competing with players who play wheelchair tennis full-time, while she herself works thirty hours a week on the side. “That’s why it’s all the more impressive that she was able to compete with the best players,” says Höfken. “That makes me particularly proud.”
