Goerges continues struggle for form
Originally published on: 24/08/11 11:39
Julia Goerges appeared to be on the cusp of something big earlier this year when, ahead of the French Open, the 22-year-old put together a nine-match winning streak.
The Bad-Oldesloe native defeated three top 10 players – Victoria Azarenka, Sam Stosur and Caroline Wozniacki – en route to her second career title in Stuttgart and the very next week she defeated the world No.1 again before reaching the semi-finals in Madrid. But the right-hander, who has attracted added attention for her looks and athletic figure, promptly sandwiched four first-round defeats in Eastbourne, Bad Gastein, Stanford and Carlsbad around third round runs at the French Open and Wimbledon.
She failed to live up to her billing again in Cincinnati last week, losing to world No.65 Zheng Jie in round one. This week, it’s been more of the same in an underwhelming recent spell of form for the 5’11 German, as she fell in round two at the Texas Open, albeit in a dramatic clash with Britain’s Elena Baltacha.
In temperatures exceeding 40c, the world No.20 squandered a set and a break advantage to fall 2-6 7-5 7-6(2) to the world No.61.
“Julia plays a very, very fast ball, and I knew I’d have to go for a little bit more than I usually do,” said 28-year-old Baltacha, who was understandably elated to reach her first WTA quarter-final of the year just a week before the US Open.
“It’s incredibly hot here and I must admit that it’s very, very hard to play in,” she said.
“I think New York is going to seem freezing after this but that’s what it’s all about – making sure I go into the US Open ready for anything.”
Goerges, meanwhile, will hope to end her recent slump with a positive run in New York, where she has never been beyond round two.
Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here