First WTA tournament – first final: Noma Noha Akugue caused one of the season’s biggest surprises at the Hamburg European Open. The world No. 207 going into the event, her place in the main draw came as a result of her being given a wild card. Supported as a member of the Porsche Talent Team, the 19-year-old German then played her way into the hearts of the crowd at the Rothenbaum tennis complex in Hamburg with her passion and fighting spirit.
En route to the final, she surprised everybody by beating the strong Italian Martina Trevisan, the 2022 French Open semifinalist. In the round of the last four, she defeated Dariah Shnaider who is ranked 106 places above her. Her impressive winning run at the time-honoured Hamburg tournament only came to an end in the final. Even though there was little to choose between her and Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands in the second set – she even saved a total of four match points – she in the end lost 6-0, 7-6 (3) against the world No. 42.
“Four weeks ago, I didn’t know whether I was going to be given a wild card,” said Noma Noha Akugue after the final. “I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved here. Thanks for the fantastic support. My big goal is to come back here next year and win the tournament.” Her sensational performance means she has made a big step into a successful future – also in the world rankings where she will be in at No. 142 from Monday.
In addition to Noma Noha Akugue, two other German players stood in the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 event – Jule Niemeier from Porsche Team Germany and Porsche Talent Team’s Eva Lys. The last time three Germans were amongst the last eight at the Rothenbaum was back in 1995.
Laura Siegemund: first final since the 2017 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
For Laura Siegemund, it was a long and tough road to the final of the Warsaw Open. As her quarterfinal match on Friday was delayed due to persistent rain, the 35-year-old from Stuttgart was forced to play twice on Saturday – and mastered the two shifts by winning two hard-fought three-setters. She first came out on top in the match postponed from the day before against the Italian Lucrezia Stefanini 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 in three hours and 19 minutes. Then in the semifinals, she defeated Tatjana Maria, her who like her plays for Porsche Team Germany, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. In getting to her first WTA singles final since her victory at the 2017 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, she was out on court for an unbelievable six hours and 22 minutes on Saturday.
“The fantastic spectators carried me. I reckon, they liked my attacking tennis,” said the winner of the women’s doubles at the 2020 US Open after her match against Tatjana Maria. “It gave me the courage to keep going to the net even though I was making lots of mistakes. But you have to fight for every point against Tadde, she doesn’t give you any favours.”
In the final against the world No.1 and “Porsche Friend” Iga Swiatek, there was nothing left in the tank. Cheered on by the frenetic Polish crowd, the winner of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in both 2022 and 2023 lived up to expectations when winning 6-0, 6-1. After Doha, Stuttgart and Roland Garros, it was here fourth WTA title of the season. Small consolation for Laura Siegemund is the fact that, as a result of her impressive performance in Warsaw, she has risen sharply up the world rankings from No. 153 to No. 111.
“For me it was an achievement simply playing a final again after such a long time,” said Laura Siegemund. “Pity I couldn’t put her more to the test. I gave my best, but the two matches yesterday were just too much for me. At times, I had the feeling that I had left my legs back at the hotel.”