Porsche Tennis Grand Prix begins with the Fed Cup play-off against Australia

What a start for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2012 - taking place parallel to qualifying at the 35th edition of the long-running Stuttgart tournament will be the Fed Cup play-off against Australia. Having lost their first round tie against title holders the Czech Republic in
spite of a good performance, Porsche Team Germany will be looking to remain in the World Group. The match will be played in the Porsche Arena on 21-22 April.

“We couldn’t have wished for a better way to start to our tournament. By staging the Fed Cup, we are offering our spectators a special treat,” said Markus Gunthardt, Tournament Director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Barbara Rittner, Captain of Porsche Team Germany, is looking forward, together with her players, to returning to Stuttgart. “The atmosphere in the Porsche Arena is awesome. The Stuttgart crowd gets so totally involved. With such fantastic support them, there’s a good chance the players might play above themselves.”

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix also provided the setting for a Fed Cup encounter last year. Cheered on by an excited crowd, Germany beat USA 5-0. A new German 'Frauleinwunder' in women’s tennis then began at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the effects can be clearly seen in the WTA rankings. With four German players – Andrea Petkovic, Sabine Lisicki, Julia Görges and Angelique Kerber – now in the Top 20, it is the first time it has happened in 24 years.

The line-up for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix from 21-29 April will include all the world’s Top 10 players. For the first time ever, superstar Maria Sharapova will also be competing for prize money totalling 740,000 dollars and the Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet for the winner.

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