Former world No. 1 shares a major goal for her 2024 comeback.
By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, December 7, 2023
Angelique Kerber has struck silver before.
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Former world No. 1 Kerber, who won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, told German publication Bild she dreams of reprising her Hopman Cup partnership with Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev and winning mixed doubles gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Very much! When we meet in Australia, we will definitely talk about it,” Kerber told Bild. “It would make me very happy.
“The Olympics in Paris are the highlight and playing for Germany is always an honor.”
Together, Kerber and Zverev led Germany to back-to-back Hopman Cup finals falling to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Roger Federer, 2-1, in both the 2018 and 2019 Hopman Cup finals.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Kerber said serving as German flag-bearer for the Olympics, a role tennis stars ranging from Roger Federer to Rafael Nadal to Novak Djokovic to Maria Sharapova have fulfilled for their nation in the past.
“It would be indescribable for any athlete to walk in with the German flag. And it’s also a dream of mine,” Kerber told Bild.
The three-time Grand Slam champion will launch her return next month in Adelaide.
It will be Kerber’s first pro match since she lost to Elise Mertens in the 2022 Wimbledon third round. Kerber said she’s excited and uncertain how she will fare in her return.
“I’ve done everything,” Kerber said. “I feel good. We’re right on schedule, but it’s too early to make a prediction.”
Photo credit: Paul Kane/Getty