Generali Open 2022: Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies in an interview - "It settled down incredibly quickly"
Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies successfully started the Generali Open 2022 on Tuesday. The two-time winners of the French Open are hot contenders for the title in Kitzbühel. This is one of the reasons why the conversation in the player area is very relaxed.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jul 27, 2022, 07:49 am
tennisnet: Mr. Mies. You've just come from the match of Johnny O'Mara, whom you and Ken Skupski beat at Wimbledon with Kevin. In an atmospheric match, where O'Mara constantly cheered on his partner. How much did you get from it?
Andreas Mies : We knew before the match that it would be Ken Skupski's last career match. I was happy for him that he had such a great tournament again in the third round. We were warned. Because Klaasen and Melo had beaten them in the second round. Johnny always brings a good energy. And especially in the match.
tennisnet : Last week Hamburg at sea level, now in alpine Kitzbühel. How difficult is the transition for the doubles players?
Kevin Krawietz : You notice a huge difference between Hamburg and here. On the other hand, I mostly train in Munich, under pretty similar conditions. That might make the transition a little easier for me. But you need a day or two to find the right tension and the right timing.
tennisnet : Interestingly enough, they don't practice together that often.
Krawietz : We try to train together for a few weeks a year. But we travel an awful lot. Then we want to spend the weeks that we have free at home. Me in Munich, Andi in Cologne. Now we have a long North American journey ahead of us. Montreal, Cincinnati, then there would be Winston Salem ahead of the US Open. Maybe we'll put in a training week there.
Andreas Mies - "We don't need anyone to explain doubles to us"
tennisnet : Lukas Wolff has been new to the team for a few weeks. What are your expectations?
Mies : We are glad that we have Lukas in the team. He is an extremely positive person and a very good tennis coach. Lukas doesn't have that much doubles experience. But we don't have the feeling that we really need someone to explain doubles to us again. As tennis players, we still have to keep improving. For me, we're working on my second serve and forehand return. These punches are meant to come bolder. But we also want to work on our strengths.
tennisnet : They would be there...?
Mies : For example my ability to react on the net. I always go to the hockey pitch with my athletic trainer in Cologne and stand in the goal there. He shoots ten tennis balls in a row at me - and I have to defend. But we also practice many things of this kind on the tennis court. That helps the most.
tennisnet : How did the collaboration with Lukas come about?
Krawietz : I worked with Lukas a few years ago, then I left the tennis base in Oberhaching. Andi and I discussed who would be suitable. A few names came up. It has to be right for both of them. I get along well with him, I know his type. And Lukas also knew Andi from his days in Cologne. Lukas is incredibly good at responding to different characters. It unfolded incredibly quickly.
"Roger, Rafa and Djokovic also have clear patterns"
tennisnet : How does the preparation for the matches look like? Is there explicit scouting?
Krawietz : We sometimes look at the games of the upcoming opponents in a threesome, everyone takes notes. And of course patterns can be seen with Mektic/Pavic or Ram/Salisbury. But there are also clear patterns with Roger, Rafa and Djokovic. And you still can't win against them. It's about how you can react to that in the match. If Mektic and Pavic only serve through the middle and close the middle at the net - how can I pass them?
tennisnet : Because Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic have just been addressed: How do you rate the performance that Pavic not only reached the Wimbledon final with a broken wrist, but also almost won it?
Mies : I didn't even notice it at first. I switched on at the end of the third set of the semifinals against the Colombians. When Pavic was only playing lobs with his backhand, I also saw the tape and that he was holding the racquet so strangely. You have to take your hat off to the fact that they almost still win this. Although it has to be said that it is not quite as difficult on grass as on sand or on a slow surface. Even if he can use his right hand, you don't score as many points on the return on grass. It's a huge disadvantage, of course, but he has one of the best return players next to him in Mektic.
tennisnet : You won the tournaments in Barcelona and Munich this season. Which events did you feel could have been better?
Krawietz : Difficult to say. Maybe the two quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome, once against Isner and Hurkacz, and then against Bolelli and Fognini. we have to win against Bolelli/Fognini, we're ahead in set and break. And we were the better players against Isner/Hurkacz.
Kevin Krawietz on the Davis Cup: "It's a stupid situation"
tennisnet : At the French Open and most recently in Hamburg you lost to Lloyd Glasspool and Hari Heliovaara. Is there a feared opponent emerging?
Mies : Looking back now, Glasspool/Heliovaara might have been the toughest draw of round one in Paris. They played very well there and now they went through in Hamburg without losing a set. We knew it would be difficult. Although we clearly won the match before that in Munich. That's why I wouldn't speak of fearful opponents. In Hamburg our performance was much better than at the French Open. But unfortunately we didn't take our chances. We lose four no-ads in a row at 1-1, and it's already 1-5. But it can just as well be 4:2 for us. Then you sit on the bench at 1:6 and think to yourself: we actually played well!
tennisnet : The intermediate round in the Davis Cup in Hamburg is coming up in September. Now Michael Kohlmann has the luxury problem that he can choose from the trio of Kevin Krawietz, Tim Pütz and Andreas Mies. How should the captain put it on?
Krawietz : We all don't know yet who's there. We have three world-class doubles players. It has to hit someone. I played well with Pützi, now I'm at Andi's side. It's a stupid situation, no question.
Mies : "Kohle" sat down with all the players in Hamburg and discussed the situation. Montreal and Cincinnati are nominated. Pützi is a few places ahead of us in the rankings and is also doing a very good job. My aspiration is to always play for Germany. I'm still undefeated with Kevin in the Davis Cup. But you also have to say: Kevin is still undefeated with Tim.
tennisnet : Hopefully a full house can be expected in Hamburg. How does that affect a player?
Krawietz : If we look at the Australian Open this year: you played against Kyrgios and Kokkinakis and there were 5,000 people in the audience. It's not every day that someone serves a double fault and the stadium explodes. You can't hide that. The atmosphere in Rio, where I played with Pützi, was also extreme. It's always awkward when the audience bothers you again before the second serve. The audience can contribute a lot to success. Without wanting to belittle the performance of Kyrgios and Kokkinakis.
Here the double tableau in Kitzbühel
kitzmap