Stuttgart Preview

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
After this weekend´s Fed Cup play-offs, we could not have asked for a better tournament to continue with the exciting showcase of matches we witnessed. The qualifying matches have finished and the main draw is finally complete. It just takes a quick look to realize how strong the field is. So far, Stuttgart has one of the toughest draws this year, featuring the top 8 players in the world.

Via WTA

Going down memory-lane, some of the past champions include Julia Goerges, Justine Henin, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic. Last year they had the pleasure of having home girl Julia Goerges take the title. She defeated Caroline Wozniacki (no. 1 at the time) with an overpowering 7-6(3) 6-3 performance.

This year the tournament features 5 Germans, 3 of them are inside the top 20: Andrea Petkovic (12), Sabine Lisicki (13) and Angelique Kerber (14) and almost making it, Julia Goerges (21). Some may say they have a starting advantage because they played their Fed Cup tie against Australia in the very same Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Arena.

Via WTA

Over all, the level of tennis that we will see in the first rounds is really incredible. Some of the match-ups inlclude: defending champion Julia Goerges vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (possibly Sam Stosur in the 2nd round), Caroline Wozniacki vs. Jelena Jankovic and a possible Andrea Petkovic vs. Victoria Azarenka in the 2nd round.

This is definitely an excellent preview for the upcoming Roland Garros, which take place the 27th of May. So, will Goerges be able to defend her title? Will Caroline be able to clinch her first tournament of the year? Will Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki have a good performance in their comebacks? And how will the world's best, Azarenka, begin her clay season? These are few of the questions that come up when thinking of Stuttgart. What we do know is that we are on for quite a show.

The WTA is commonly known to be unpredictable and by looking at this years draw, Stuttgart will definitely be no exception. 

-Romina Castagnino, Contributing Writer

A Message to our Readers

To our ITB faithfuls:

As editor of Inside the Baseline, I would like to apologize for our absence since the exciting Australian Open championships. I'm working through my final semester as a Boston University undergrad, and it feels like time is slipping between my fingers.

I am a journalism major at BU, hoping to find my way into the world of tennis media. You're all quite aware of my passion—or dare I say addiction...— to the WTA and I promise that as the excitement and terror of graduation comes and goes, I will find my way back to ITB, and perhaps, a professional tennis organization.

But with all the ups and downs of an ending college career, I'm still as updated as ever in the tennis world! Indian Wells and Miami have provided some epic entertainment, and with Charleston underway, I can't wait to dig into the clay season. Will Azarenka remain dominant? Will Kvitova get her wheels in motion? And what does part-time super star Serena have up her sleeve as the new generation begins to surpass her?

All in time, tennis fans. We still have a long way to go in 2012.

And finally, as a thanks for your readership and to top off this formal apology, I leave you with the ear-shattering and comedic musical efforts of Caroline Wozniacki. (I mean come on. One comment says "She makes Rebecca Black sound like Whitney Houston). Shout out to Jon Scott of Tennis.com's Daily Spin for supplying me with this one.

*Note, the video has been disabled due to copyright. But believe me, it will be posted here as soon as it's re-leaked.

Edit: Re-discovered here: Vidéo Caroline Wozniacki

-Kedzie Teller, Senior Editor