Questions to Annika Beck

The talented and lovely German Annika Beck, who will play the KDB Korea Open in Seoul next week, has very nicely taken some of her time to answer some questions for this blog. The 2011 French Open junior champion talks about the transition between juniors and pros, her game, and the German players.

How would you describe your playing style and what are your strengths ?
I’m an aggressive baseliner, but also a good counter-punching player. My strengths are my groundstrokes and my footwork. I’m also strong mentally.

Which compartment(s) of your game do you think you still need to improve the most ?
I think the compartment I still need to improve is my serve, just to get more effect out of it.

What do you like to do to relax ?
If I need to relax, I like reading a book and especially listening to music.

There are a lot of great German players on the tour at the moment. I guess it’s very motivating ?
Of course it is ! It is a pleasure to have so many great players in my country. You can get a lot of ideas and inspiration from all of them.

I heard that Roger Federer was your tennis idol growing up… what do you admire about him ?
Roger Federer was always the player I looked up to in my childhood. Still today I admire his incredible elegance on and off the court.

That’s your first year on pro tour… What’s the biggest difference compare to the juniors ? And how hard is the transition ?
The biggest difference when comparing juniors and professionals on the WTA tour is the quality of the shots. Speed and precision of the shots are by far higher than on junior tournaments. It takes a lot to reach the level of professional playing and the transition is not easy. One needs more intensity in practising. The mental toughness becomes much more important.

What is the most important thing for a tournament to have to make you happy ?
I don’t think there is a most important thing. To make me happy everything needs to be well organized. It is always very comforting when you notice that the tournament officials and organizers take care of the players.

And to finish, if the Genie asks you what are your three wishes, what would they be ?
One main wish: That my family and friends are healthy.

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