Porsche Talent Team Germany members named by German Tennis Association

The members of the Porsche Talent Team Germany have been named. For the 2012 season, the Deutsche Tennis Bund (German Tennis Association – DTB) has selected the top German juniors Annika Beck, Dinah Pfizenmaier, Carina Witthoft and Antonia
Lottner to make up the Porsche-sponsored squad. All four have been accepted for the qualifying competition at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix where they will be attempting to reach the main draw stage of the world class tournament in the Porsche Arena from April 21-29.

“As a premium partner of the German Tennis Association, it is important for us to not only support Porsche Team Germany in the Fed Cup but also to encourage young up-and-coming players. Porsche Talent Team Germany is therefore very dear to our hearts. We are looking forward to accompanying the young girls on their way to the top,” said Christian Dau, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Porsche AG.

Carl-Uwe Steeb, the DTB Vice-President who is also the Director of Performance, stressed, “The Porsche Talent Team Germany is an important step on the road to establishing German women’s tennis at the top permanently.”

As the world number 185, Annika Beck is the Porsche Talent Team Germany’s top ranked player. Born in Giessen in 1994, she won this year’s ITF tournament in Moscow and was a runner-up in both Bath and Sunderland. In Copenhagen this week, she reached the main draw of a WTA tournament for the very first time. Dinah Pfizenmaier (year of birth - 1992), who resides in Kamen, Germany is currently ranked 205. This year, she won the ITF tournaments in Phuket and Kaarst. The biggest career highlight for Hamburg-born Carina Witthöft (year of birth - 1995) came last year when she won the ITF tournament in Zell am Harmersbach. In the world rankings, the youngster is currently No. 415. The youngest member of the Porsche Talent Team Germany is Antonia Lottner. Born in Düsseldorf in 1996, she is presently placed No. 940. Last year she won the ITF tournament in Stockholm and became the German U16 junior champion.

The primary intention behind the sponsorship of Porsche and the DTB is to make the set-up for the up-and-coming juniors more professional whereby the focus is on the furtherance of individual coaching and guidance both when practicing and at tournaments. “The Porsche Talent Team Germany is a wonderful idea and things come full circle at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix,” said Barbara Rittner, the Captain of Porsche Team Germany. “In Stuttgart, our players can gain valuable experience in the strong qualifying tournament and can later watch the world’s top players and learn from them.”

The support for DTB is an essential part of Porsche’s sponsoring concept which covers every part of society. Thus the company is also the partner of the world famous Stuttgart Ballet and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the banner 'Premium meets Premium'. It additionally also supports junior activities in sport clubs in Baden Württemberg and Saxony as well as a variety of scientific and charity projects. By sponsoring a broad spectrum of activities, Porsche wants to further embrace its social responsibility within society.

Posted in: Annika,Antonia Lottner,Barbara Rittner,Carina Witthoft,Carl-Uwe Steeb,Christian Dau,Dinah Pfizenmaier,Juniors,Out of Wheels,Porsche,Porsche Talent Team,Sponsorship/Partnership,Tennis Association