BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED: “A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT FROM THE HEART”

The Wimbledon winner provides deep insights into her tennis soul and strives to be an encouragement, for not only sports fans.

The memories of the Bad Homburg Open 2021 are still very present for Angelique Kerber. Looking back on the premiere of the grass court event, the three-time Grand Slam winner is full of praise. What follows is a tribute to a project from the heart: “It was wonderful to see how happy and full of anticipation the spectators flocked to the grounds during the first days of the tournament and how our vision of Wimbledon’s flair came to life in the historic spa gardens of Bad Homburg, at the oldest tennis facility on the European continent,” writes tournament ambassador Angelique Kerber in her recently published autobiography (Edel Sports Verlag).

“A question of will”, is the title of the work. Subtitle: “My way to the top”. Very befitting, given the many ups and downs that have marked her career so far. If anyone knows what it means to fight back, it’s the 34-year-old. Whether in a set, a match – or after a fall into the valley of tears.

Demons as uninvited guests – lunch with Obama – anticipation of a comeback

Over 224 pages, Angelique Kerber impressively describes sporting triumphs such as the 2018 Wimbledon victory, whilst also not shying away from sporting and personal crises. She does so in a very close and emotional way. By doing so, she does not only want to address tennis fans. “I hope that my message comes across and that anyone can take something away from this book,” emphasised the former world number one, who is expecting her first child in the spring of 2023. Angelique Kerber uses her story to give tips on what you can learn from crises and how you can fight back.

For years, she had been taking notes, reflecting and processing writing a book. The 2016 US Open winner considered her pregnancy-related break as the ideal time to draw up conclusions and publish her autobiography.

Readers can expect an exciting journey with chapters such as “Uninvited guests – demons called doubt” or “Tennis, Corona and love”. The 2018 Wimbledon victory (prologue, interlude, game set and match) sets the scene. And a former US president also plays a role. Angelique Kerber tells of a thrilling encounter with Barack Obama. “His charisma was really impressive. How calm and relaxed he was when we met at the American Embassy in Berlin, that was incredible.”

The Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist also dedicates quite a few lines to the Bad Homburg Open: “If I wasn’t on the court myself, I was either in the tournament office, with the journalists, getting feedback from the players and coaches or enjoying the atmosphere as a simple spectator with friends and family in the stadium. In short, I didn’t work for the tournament, I identified with it. With full vigour, around the clock – after all, it was a very special project from the heart.”

After her baby break, Angelique Kerber wants to return to the tour. Competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is just one of her goals. The last sentence of her autobiography rings of self-confidence: “The future can come, because I know who I am and the path I’ve taken to get here.”

The book “A Question of Will” is available since 5 November 2022. Edel Sports, 224 pages, with picture spread, format 13.5x21cm. Also available as a e-book. ISBN 978-3-98588-057-7. Price 19,95 Euro.