Andrea Petkovic has identified the missing depth of talent as the key reason behind German women's tennis players failing to achieve top results in recent years. The former world number nine shared her candid assessment while discussing the current state of the sport in her home country.
"This breadth, from which four or five players stand out, simply doesn't exist anymore," Petkovic explained in a conversation with Eurosport.
The 37-year-old acknowledges there's no shortage of raw talent in Germany right now. According to her, the country currently possesses "incredible potential" among its young players, but lacks the necessary depth to fully develop this talent pool. This absence, Petkovic argues, diminishes the chances of "someone unexpectedly breaking through" to the top levels.
When discussing promising talents, Petkovic specifically mentions Eva Lys, Ella Seidel, and Jule Niemeier as potential future stars. However, she points out the fundamental challenge of tennis being that "each story is individual" - making player development uniquely complex.
Interestingly, Petkovic draws a stark contrast with her own era. During her active years, Germany boasted a group of "15 players of similar age" who all demonstrated strong play. Among this generation, Petkovic, Angelique Kerber, Sabine Lisicki, and Julia Görges eventually emerged as the standouts who "broke through later" to achieve international success.
By the way, Petkovic also notes how women's tennis has evolved globally during her career. When she joined the tour in 2008, not "all players from the top 150 played at such a high level" as they do now. Back then, she recalls "a big gap" existed between the top 50 players and the rest of the world.
Can the next generation of German tennis stars overcome these structural challenges? The answer might depend on creating that crucial depth of competitive talent that Petkovic finds lacking today.
