By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

SYDNEY Clarke returned to Germany and continued to make her presence felt, winning both her opening singles and doubles matches in her first tournament in the Herren Tennis-Turnier um den St Elizabeth-Cup.

In her return to Herne, Germany for the second straight year for the Summer League, Clarke helped her team TC Grun-Weiss Herne win 7-2 on Sunday in the first of seven matches they will play during the course of the season.

Clarke, the top seeded player on the team, won 6-3 6-1 in singles over Lissan Grote and she paired up with Michelle Rosemeyes as they won 6-4 6-3 over the pair of Seiferth/Grubke from the TC Neheim-Huesten team.

“So far the season is off to a good start. We are a young team, but I feel that we all have the skill set and the talent and good chemistry,” Clarke said. “That is what has helped to push us during our last match.

“We had a few players who were negative in the singles, but they were able to turn it around in the doubles, which resulted in us winning 7-2. So I think that shows true character and that it proves that the girls are willing to learn as a young team.”

With everyone open to learning, Clarke said they are improving on their strongest aspects as a team and, as they are bonding well together, she has high hopes for the team this season and the “magic” continues to “happen” as they “progress” in each match. Clarke, a 2024 graduate of University of Alabama at Arlington, was invited to play in the tournament last year by one of her team-mates. As the shortest member of the team, Clarke’s impressive performance last year, enabled her to get an invitation to return this year.

“My expectations going forward in regards to my performance, I feel I’m very much prepared. I’ve been training very hard at home,” she said. 

“I played in two ITF Tournaments so far this year in March. Although I didn’t do as well as I anticipated, those tournaments prepared me for this. So I think my performance from last year will be so much better. I’m more knowledgeable and I’m going to adapt to the clay courts, even though I prefer the hard courts.”

Clarke, 23, will have sufficient time to make any adjustments as they only play on Sundays during the tournament, which runs from May to June. 

Off the court, she admits that she;’s enjoying the hospitality afforded to her.

“I am having a great experience once again. The people are the reason I came back,” she insisted. “Everyone is treating me very well, especially the host family I’m staying with the entire trip. I consider them my second parents.”

With their week off during the opening of the tournament on May 4, Cllarke and her team will be back in action this Sunday. They won’t have another day off until sometime in June before they wrap up on June 29th..

“We got off to a great start. We have our momentum going,” she pointed out. “We have good team chemistry. The practices on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the week have been great.

“The other days, we have our individual training sessions, working on things that we need to make sure we’re good to go and ready for the matches on Sundays.:

On her return from Germany, Clarke will then prepare to represent the country once again as a member of the women’s team that will participate in the Billie Jean King Fed Cup.

No date or venue has been confirmed yet for this year’s competition, but Clarke is expected to be joined by Simone Pratt, Jalisa Clarke and Saphirre Fergusoin.

Clarke, the daughter of Shayvon and Bernard Clarke and the older sister to Sarai Clarke, is now playing on the pro circuit after completing her student-athlete career that included CR Walker and Windsor School before she ended up at UAB where she earned her degree in Mass Com - Broadcasting.