"We didn't play a prominent role": Barbara Rittner complains of weak year for German players on WTA Tour

Barbara Rittner expressed her overall dissatisfaction with the performance of German women in the 2023 tennis season, particularly highlighting the absence of any player finishing the year in the top 50.

Rittner, the women's representative of the German Tennis Association, emphasized that such a result does not align with their standards. She stated, "If none of our women finishes the year in the top 50, the year cannot have been okay. That cannot be our claim."

The absence of former world number one Angelique Kerber, who took a break this year due to the birth of her daughter, contributed to the challenges faced by the German women's tennis contingent.

Currently, Tatjana Maria holds the highest ranking among German players at number 57. Despite the challenges, Rittner acknowledged the personal success of Laura Siegemund and Tatjana Maria, who secured victory in the doubles competition at the WTA Finals.

Reflecting on the performance in Grand Slams, Rittner noted that German women did not play a prominent role. She pointed out the lack of consistency among younger players and stressed the importance of supporting and nurturing emerging talents.

Rittner specifically mentioned the need for Jule Niemeier to regain her form after slipping to 162nd place in the world rankings, following her Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance in 2022.

In the Billie Jean King Cup, the German tennis women faced a 3-0 defeat against Italy in Seville. Despite falling short of the semi-finals, Rittner viewed the team's performance positively, considering the qualification for the final round as a significant success. Reflecting on the outcome, Rittner stated, "Basically, you have to leave the church in the village. The fact that we qualified for the final round was a huge success."

Even though the team hoped for a different outcome in the second preliminary round against France, Rittner acknowledged the challenging reality, stating, "Of course we hoped, desired, and imagined it differently. But it was clear to us that we were outsiders, so you just have to look at the paper. It's simply reality."