Tennis | Laura Siegemund wins historic match

At 36 years old, Laura Siegemund can look back on a long professional tennis career. The German’s career includes a Grand Slam title in doubles and two major successes in mixed doubles, and on Wednesday the right-hander once again created a historic moment.

In the round of 16 of the WTA tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand, Laura Siegemund (number 99 in the world rankings) defeated the fifth-seeded Chinese Xiyu Wang (number 62 in the world rankings) in three sets with 7:6, 4:6 and 7:6. What is particularly unusual, however, is the length of the match: Siegemund converted the first match point of the match after 4 hours and 9 minutes.

It was the first duel at tour level that lasted longer than four hours since 2011, when Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and Italian Francesca Schiavone fought a battle lasting 4 hours and 44 minutes at the Australian Open.

In the Open Era since 1968, only the match between Vicky Nelson-Dunbar and Jean Hepner lasted longer, which lasted 6:31 at the 1984 WTA event in Richmond. The party also produced the longest rally in a women’s match, lasting 29 minutes.

“It was a really good match”

Barbora Strycova and Regia Kulikova also finished ahead of Siegemund with a time of 4 hours 19 minutes. The match took place at the 2010 Australian Open.

Siegemund, who had to fend off three set balls in the first set and take an injury break in the decisive round when the score was 5:5, joins Wang in fourth position.

“It was a really good match,” said the visibly exhausted Siegemund after the party: “We had a tough fight and I’m happy to have emerged as the winner.”

Siegemund will now face Rebeka Masarova from Spain (number 119 in the world rankings), who defeated the Chinese Xinyu Wang (number 52 in the world rankings) 7:6, 3:6 and 7:5 and spent more than three hours on the court.

Light and shadow among the DTB talents

There is also positive news from a German perspective from Ella Seidel.

Seidel (number 138 in the world rankings) is in the quarterfinals of Pazardzhik (Bulgaria/W75) after a 6:3 and 6:2 win against Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva (number 677 in the world rankings), where she could face the German Noma Noha-Akugue (number 209 in the world rankings).

Diego Dedura-Palomero (number 760 in the world rankings), on the other hand, suffered a minor debacle when he surprisingly lost clearly in the round of 16 in Pardubice (Czech Republic/M15) to the Czech Daniel Paty (number 925 in the world rankings). The 16-year-old lost 0:6 and 4:6.