Porsche Tennis Grand Prix supports Andrea Petkovic

Stuttgart. IShe has already cracked the world’s top 15. To help her rise to the very top of the world rankings, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has, as of immediately, offered Heinz Günthardt’s support as an advisor. The Swiss, who was one of the world’s best doubles players and a winner of four Grand Slam titles in men’s and mixed doubles, was Steffi Graf’s coach from 1992 to her retirement in 1999. She won 12 Grand Slams in that time.

The cooperation between the 52-year-old brother of the Tournament Director Markus Günthardt and Andrea Petkovic will begin right away on Easter Monday. They will practice together for a few days in Darmstadt before travelling to the Madrid tournament. Petkovic’s coach Petar Popovic, who will remain the head coach of the 23-year-old German, will join them there. Popovic will continue to accompany her to the tournaments around the world. Heinz Günthardt, who is considered to be one of the world’s best coaches, at present mainly works for Swiss television. He himself sees himself more as an advisor and will be hoping to use his vast experience to benefit Andrea Petkovic.

“In breaking into the Top 15, Andrea has taken full advantage of her present talents,” said Heinz Günthardt. “Now it’ll be all about pushing the limits. I can’t say how far at the moment. But I’m sure it’s possible, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken on the job.” Where can the cooperation lead to? “She should at some stage be a serious contender for a Grand Slam title.”

“As a German tournament, we will profit when Germany has a top player. That was very obvious this week in the Porsche Arena,” said Tournament Director Markus Günthardt. “We want to do whatever we can to help a player like Andrea reach the top sometime. We see Andrea as a worldwide ambassador for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.”

24/04/2011