Good chances of moving up the ranks

Porsche Talent Team Germany

What a debut: Antonia Lottner produced a sensational performance in her first ever Fed Cup appearance in Minsk in February to beat the Belarusian No. 1 in her opening match. The Porsche Talent Team Germany player contributed an important point to the Porsche Team Germany’s Fed Cup win.

After Annika Beck, Carina Witthöft and Anna-Lena Friedsam, Antonia Lottner is already the fourth Porsche Talent Team player to make the step up to the Fed Cup team. Since 2012, talented young players have been supported by Porsche and the “Deutschen Tennis Bund” (DTB – German Tennis Association) in Porsche Talent Team Germany. Alongside Antonia Lottner, the five others this season are Katharina Gerlach, Katharina Hobgarski, Lena Rüffer, Anna Gabric and Jule Niemeier. They all have the chance to catch the eye and move onto greater things by performing consistently at a high level.

“For us, it is important to not only support Porsche Team Germany in the Fed Cup,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “We also want to help promising juniors develop and accompany young players on their way to the top. The Porsche Talent Team Germany is therefore a project that is very dear to our hearts.”

Important step

The DTB also sees Porsche Talent Team Germany as being an important step on the road to establishing German women’s tennis at the top in the long term. The primary intention behind the sponsorship of Porsche and the DTB is to make the set-up for talented juniors more professional whereby the focus is on enhancing individual coaching and guidance both when practicing and at tournaments. The latest example that the concept is bearing fruit is Antonia Lottner. She earned herself the chance to play in the Fed Cup team with her excellent performances – and took it.

An important role in the development of promising youngsters is played by the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Porsche Talent Team Germany players have the opportunity in the world class tournament’s qualifying event to test themselves against tough opponents in a highly competitive situation and therefore see how they compare internationally. “For our talented young players, the tournament is the season’s top highlight,” says Jens Gerlach, the new Porsche Team Germany captain. “They have to take their chance, gain greater experience and learn from the world’s top players.” 

To feed the Porsche Talent Team Germany, the Porsche Junior Team was founded in 2018. This season it will support girls born between 2002 and 2004. 

“Turbo for Talents”

The partnership with the German Tennis Association is an essential part of the sport sponsoring concept of Porsche of which the junior coaching programme plays an important part. Under the “Turbo for Talents” motto, Porsche consequently supports the junior activities at a variety of sports clubs in places where Porsche has facilities.

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