'I was watching Singapore last year' - Kerber talks surreal return to 2018 WTA Finals

SINGAPORE - The rollercoaster metaphor is over-used in sport, but there are few better that illustrate Angelique Kerber’s last three years. In between two iconic photoshoot appearances - and subsequent battles operating the selfie stick - the former World No.1 was outside the Elite Eight in 2017, her oft-discussed disappointing follow-up to 2016’s breakthrough.

“I was watching Singapore a little bit, and I was preparing actually for Zhuhai last year this time,” the three-time Grand Slam champion said during All Access Hour at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. “I told myself, ‘Okay, I hope that this year will finish as soon as possible so that I can start the new year with a new goal and trying to improving myself, taking all the experience that I had from 2017 to 2018.’”

Kerber was still ranked No.1 in the world 18 months ago, but in the midst of a public slump that saw her eventually finish 2017 outside the Top 20.

This year was a reversal in fortune so striking that it was as if last year never happened; she began the season with a title at the Apia International Sydney and came within one point of the Australian Open final, falling to Simona Halep 9-7 in the third. She matched a career-best quarterfinal result at Roland Garros, but saved her best work for Wimbledon, where she avenged a 2016 final loss to Serena Williams with an emphatic triumph at the All England Club.

Still, Kerber insists, a career timeline is linear, and while she doesn’t dwell on 2017, she hasn’t forgotten many of its lessons.

“Last year it was like more to dealing with everything, taking all the experience with me to learning about myself, my game, the motivation. Without 2017 and without 2016, I wouldn't be here the same person and the same player like I am right now.

“It helped me to grow the last 12, 24 months to staying now here, playing again in the WTA Finals.”

The German veteran, who split with coach Wim Fissette before arriving in Singapore, reached the final when last she played Singapore, going undefeated in round robin play as the top seed. Back on top of the field following the withdrawal of World No.1 Simona Halep, Kerber is eager to adjust her mindset back into this event’s unique format in her fifth appearance.

“It is completely different to the normal tournaments, of course. But I think that I have a lot of experience about this. You can win one match and you can be still playing the semis.

“You have to focus on every single point, game, and set, because it can be important at the end of the groups. But I think it's great to have something different, because you know you are here, you play a minimum of three matches. You have three really tough matches to go for it.”

With one week to go, Kerber aims to put all she has into the Singapore Indoor Stadium from her first match against No.8 seed Kiki Bertens.

“Mentally, you know it's the last tournament. So you are trying to pushing yourself until the limits, taking all the energy that's left for every single match. For me, it was of course the goal when I start the year to being here.

“I think every opponent is tough here. It doesn't matter against who you play. You have to play your best tennis starting from the first match. That's why we are here, the best top eight players. You have to be ready from the beginning. So I'm really looking forward to playing three different matches.”

Playing in the Red Group, Kerber takes on Bertens in the second match of Monday’s night session.