“Brutal” defeat against Sabalenka
Ella Seidel sheds bitter tears at the Australian Open
January 14, 2024, 4:30 p.m
The first appearance on the big stage ends bitterly for Ella Seidel – and with tears. The German tennis talent has no chance in the first round of the Australian Open. Boris Becker has compassion, but also finds encouraging words for Seidel.
Ella Seidel shed bitter tears at midnight on her hopeless Grand Slam debut. For the 18-year-old Seidel, the start of the first Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season was a bitter lesson. The Hamburg qualifier had to admit defeat against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus with 0:6, 1:6 and had absolutely no chance. The Grand Slam debut that Seidel longed for only lasted 53 minutes before the merciless Sabalenka converted her seventh match point.
“Today was just a difficult day,” said Seidel, who had tears in her eyes in the second set because of her lack of chances. “It’s hard to see anything positive right now. But I made it straight into the main draw in my first Grand Slam tournament and won three games in the qualifying,” said Seidel. “I think I can be proud of that. Today was hard, but I’ll work hard and come back.”
Because Novak Djokovic’s surprisingly exciting game had previously lasted more than four hours, Seidel’s biggest match of his career to date only began shortly before midnight. In the arena, which was no longer even half full, Sabalenka was in a hurry. With her powerful punches, she didn’t allow Seidel to develop at all and took the first set after just 22 minutes.
Seidel didn’t have the slightest chance in the second round either. In the middle of the second set, the North German was fighting back tears, while Barbara Rittner and Andrea Petković suffered in the stands with the young German hope. “You would like to hide and sneak out. That’s not a nice feeling,” said ex-professional Anke Huber as a TV expert at Eurosport.
“It’s obviously brutal for her family, for all of us to see a sad girl. Nevertheless, she has to be proud,” said Boris Becker at Eurosport. “You can’t pay for these experiences with money. I think it will give her an incredible amount of strength and energy in the next few weeks and months.” At least Seidel managed to win the game in the end, so that she was spared the humiliation of a 0:6, 0:6. When she completed her serve for the first time, a slight smile even crossed her lips. But shortly afterwards the game was over.