Status: 07/05/2022 07:58 a.m
Jule Niemeier or Tatjana Maria – a German player will move into the semifinals of Wimbledon. “Power tennis” or “disgusting” slice. What prevails?
Tatjana Maria has experienced almost everything in professional tennis at almost 35 years of age. Almost – because a quarter-finals in a Grand Slam tournament is a premiere for them. When Maria celebrates this premiere on Tuesday (July 5th, 2022) on the “holy lawn”, she shares this special feeling with her opponent Jule Niemeier.
Rittner: “I trust Jule Top 20”
The 22-year-old has already caused a sensation in her second Grand Slam tournament and is recognized for it – and a great career is predicted. “She is a very intelligent player and has an incredible talent. Jule has all the weapons for a top player. I trust her to be in the top 20 in the world,” says national coach Barbara Rittner, for example.
What Rittner means by that, among other things: a really cracking serve, powerful forehand play and thus the opportunity to put your opponents under pressure immediately and make a game dominant. Especially on grass. Meanwhile, Niemeier tries to hide the media hype and all the praise. “I haven’t read a single article yet. In the end, I can’t buy anything.”
Tactically strong and “secret weapon” Slice
And Niemeier’s opponent? Not only does she have the advantage of greater experience on her side. “Tatjana has shown impressively often enough that she outgrows herself. She will do everything to make it as difficult as possible for Jule,” the national coach suspects of a “tight match with an open outcome”. Maria has been tactically very disciplined and patient in this tournament so far, and remained calm in the round of 16 after falling behind in a set against Jelena Ostapenko. And then there is this “disgusting” slice in the best sense of the word – with backhand and also, quite unusually, the forehand.
The fact that this can lead to success against players with hard hits, like Niemeier, and can disrupt their rhythm, was shown a few days ago with the success of Harmony Tan against Serena Williams in round one. That Maria, who has made this forehand slice her trademark over the years, deviates from her tactics against Niemeier: unlikely.
teammates in the Bundesliga
There has not yet been a WTA duel between the only two German players left in the field. However, they should not be able to completely surprise each other. After all, the two are teammates at TC Bredeney. On May 29, they were still together in the squad against TC 1899 Blau-Weiss Berlin. Both won their singles for the current table leader of the tennis Bundesliga in straight sets.
It doesn’t matter which of the two prevails, advances to the semi-finals and celebrates the greatest success of their careers: Before the tournament, hardly anyone would have guessed that the two Germans would take part in the round of 16. For German women’s tennis, the first national Wimbledon quarter-final duel since Angelique Kerber’s victory against Sabine Lisicki in 2012 is already a win.
Source: sportschau.de