US Open: Tatjana Maria optimistic - despite the difficult draw
The German stars have to pass for the US Open, so there is another chance for the pros from the second row to be in the spotlight. Tatjana Maria and Jule Niemeier caught tough opponents.
by SID
last edit: Aug 28, 2022, 08:22 pm
Net attacks, volley stops and her notorious slice - Tatjana Maria worked with her husband Charles-Edouard on the New York Grandstand to put the finishing touches and her daughter Charlotte also passed her a few balls at the end. While the German stars Alexander Zverev are injured and Angelique Kerber is missing due to her baby break, the Wimbledon heroine is hoping for the next high at the US Open.
"I'm fit, I've prepared well and trained well," said Maria, who meets Maria Sakkari (5 p.m. CEST / Eurosport) on Monday: "It's definitely not easy. She's number three in the world, but go anyway I went into the match positively."
Jule Niemeier starts against Sofia Kenin
The 35-year-old mother of two wants to come up trumps again in the permanent duel with the Greek top player, it would also be a sign of the shrunken German squad, which is facing difficult tasks across the board. "Wimbledon showed me that I can keep up with the best," Maria said after her sensational run to the semifinals. She had also hit Sakkari.
However, it will be extremely difficult to get back into the flow on hard court in a similar way. This also applies to Jule Niemeier, who made a significant career step on the "holy turf" in London by reaching the quarter-finals, and trained with defending champion Emma Raducanu in New York on Sunday. Niemeier is the greatest hope in German women's tennis and her coach Christopher Kas sees the 23-year-old well positioned for her start on Tuesday against former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.
Coach Kas upbeat
"Full of power, in a good state of fitness" is Niemeier, Kas told SID: "She has absolutely nothing to lose and will be an outsider. Nevertheless, you also know that Jule is dangerous for every opponent if she gets into her rhythm at the beginning of the match finds and does her stuff well." Then she could beat any opponent.
Niemeier, who is playing for the first time in the main field of a hard court major, is going about her tricky task against Kenin, who has slipped to world number 265, "with low expectations, but great anticipation". An approach that also suits most of the other German professionals who also only attack on Tuesday in Flushing Meadows. Andrea Petkovic then takes on Olympic champion Belinda Bencic from Switzerland, Laura Siegemund with Romanian Sorana Cirstea.
Kohlmann hopes for a surprise
The big gap that Zverev leaves after his cancellation due to injury "hurts" with men, as national coach Michael Kohlmann admits. "The conditions are not good right now and the draw is really difficult for all four," he told SID on Sunday.
Oscar Otte, who, like Peter Gojowczyk, stormed into the round of 16 last year, is coming back after knee surgery, but caught a very unpleasant task in Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, who was eighth. Gojowczyk meets young Danish star Holger Rune, Daniel Altmaier is a clear underdog against Italian Jannik Sinner, as is qualifier Maximilian Marterer in a duel with Marin Cilic, tournament winner in 2014. "I hope there will be a surprise," said Kohlmann.
Here is the individual tableau for women
Here is the individual tableau for men
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