Under the application of ice packs on his skull, Jule Niemeier emerges victorious
Two years ago, Jule Niemeier amazed everyone as a Wimbledon quarterfinalist. Following a slump in her career, she's now back among the top 32 at the US Open. The Dortmund athlete has transformed as a player, possibly paving the way for a fresh surge.
With ice packs on her skull, Jule Niemeier overcame the New York midday heat and celebrated her heat test victory with jubilant leaps. For the first time in two years, the Dortmund tennis player has advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament. The 25-year-old outplayed Moyuka Uchijima 6:4, 6:0 at the US Open.
Right from the start, Niemeier held the upper hand in temperatures hitting 34°C and defeated the Japanese player who had bested Tamara Korpatsch earlier. Niemeier will now face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen from China or the Russian Erika Andrejewa. Unfortunately, her friend Eva Lys failed to make it to the second round, losing a tight match 2:6, 6:1, 5:7 to the Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Niemeier stunned the world by reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2022 and the US Open round of 16. However, she then plummeted to a world ranking of 175. This season, she's making a comeback, now ranked 101 and on track to re-enter the top 100 after the US Open. "That's a solid foundation for a move into the top 50, but now she should just enjoy it," remarked former German national coach Barbara Rittner on Sportdeutschland.TV.
Niemeier on her transformation: "I'm a totally different player"
"I'm a totally different player, a totally different person," says Niemeier about her transformation since her rise two years ago. "I've matured as a player and as a person." She interprets the game of tennis "completely differently" now, all thanks to Michael Geserer - her manager who has been her primary coach since the end of last year. "Jule is an exceptional athlete, she has such phenomenal potential," says Lys.
Niemeier called the shots, with numerous points being won by her winning shots or mistakes. At 4:3, she seemed to have her left foot treated with a balm and bandage, during which she studied a notebook as she had done in the past. Both players used cool mist from a hose and damp towels to manage the sweltering heat.
A light backhand error from Uchijima gifted Niemeier her opponent's serve and, after 61 minutes, the first set. The Japanese player's resistance was mostly shattered. After a longer break during the changeover, Niemeier won six games in a row. With the second match point, the Borussia Dortmund fan secured her spot in the third round and $215,000 after 96 minutes.
Niemeier's victory in the heat test at the US Open marks her first advancement to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in two years, showcasing her improvement in Tennis. Following her transformation under the guidance of Michael Geserer, Niemeier interprets the game of Tennis differently, striving to re-enter the top 100.
