Annika Beck

Annika Beck (German pronunciation: [bɛk]; born 16 February 1994) is a German former professional tennis player. She started playing tennis at the age of four when introduced to the game by her parents. A baseliner whose favorite shot is forehand, and favorite surface is hardcourt. She was coached by Jakub Záhlava and Sebastian Sachs.

Beck won two singles titles and one doubles title on the WTA Tour, as well as seven singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. On 18 July 2016, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 37, and on the same date, she peaked at No. 84 in the WTA doubles rankings.

Her father Johannes and her mother Petra teach chemistry at the University of Bonn. Beck attended the Erzbischöfliche Liebfrauenschule Bonn, a school for girls, where she completed her Abitur in 2011.

Beck started 2012 ranked world No. 234. She played one ITF tournament in January, one in February, and three in March, where she was runner-up in Sunderland and Bath, and won in Moscow. In April and May, Beck played higher-level tournaments, but had to play qualifying rounds. She qualified for the main draw in Copenhagen and Prague, achieving the second round of the main draw at the latter. She lost in qualifying at the events in Stuttgart and Estoril, and at the French Open. She did, however, take part in the Junior French Open, defeating Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in the final, in three sets.

Beck qualified for the Wimbledon Championships, but lost in the first round. In July, she earned a spot in the main draw of the WTA Tour event in Båstad but did not progress past the first round. She also played two ITF tournaments, winning the $50k event in Versmold, and losing in the second round at the $100k event in Olomouc. In August, she won a $25k tournament in Koksijde, then played in qualifying for the US Open, losing in the first round.

In September, her rank had risen enough for direct entry into the main draw at the Bell Challenge in Quebec City, where she got to the second round. She then won the GB Pro-Series Shrewsbury on the ITF Circuit. In October, she played two WTA events, but had to play qualifying rounds. She lost in the second round of qualifying at the Linz Open, but won through to the main draw at the Luxembourg Open, winning her first-round match but losing to Lucie Hradecká in the second. Back on the ITF Circuit, she won the two $75k events in Ismaning and Barnstaple. By the end of 2012, she had improved her world ranking 156 places up to No. 78.

Beck began her 2013 season at the first edition of the Shenzhen Open. She reached the quarterfinal round where she lost to sixth seed Peng Shuai. Beck then went on to win her first Grand Slam match at the Australian Open, upsetting 28th seed Yaroslava Shvedova in the first round. She was defeated in the second round by Ayumi Morita.

In Thailand at the Pattaya Open, she lost in the first round to Varatchaya Wongteanchai. Also at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Tennessee, Beck was defeated in the first round, by eventual champion Marina Erakovic. Seeded eighth at the Brasil Tennis Cup, she lost in the second round to Jana Čepelová. In Indian Wells, Beck was defeated in the first round by Kiki Bertens. At the Sony Open, Beck lost in the first round to Urszula Radwańska.