Rittner: “German women’s tennis is well positioned”
So far, no German player after the generation around the three-time Grand Slam tournament winner Angelique Kerber, Sabine Lisicki, Julia Görges and Andrea Petkovic, to which Maria belongs, has made it into the top class. Women’s national coach Barbara Rittner sees the fact that Niemeier made it to the quarter-finals for the first time on the big stage at her second Grand Slam tournament as confirmation with a view to the future.
“I always knew that there were youngsters coming, and that was proof of that. We can look forward to the future and calmly observe and support the development of the young players,” Rittner told dpa. “But they just need time, like Jule, to develop further.”
Maria does not see this sporting development as completed for herself. For the first time since the birth of her second daughter Cecilia 15 months ago, she will again be among the top 100 in the world – but the big leap will not materialize because there were no points at Wimbledon due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian professionals. So the tour continues for them at smaller tournaments in Lausanne and Palermo.
Maria’s daughter Charlotte before a tennis career?
During the tournament, Maria also discussed a possible continuation of her career until her daughter Charlotte, who is currently eight, might make the leap to the professional level. “I’ve always joked that after a third (kid) I might come back. And maybe I’ll stay on tour until Charlotte plays. You never know what might happen,” she said.
It is still open whether the German Tennis Association can also count on the eight-year-old as a hope for youngsters. Through Maria’s husband Charles-Edouard, Charlotte also has French citizenship and a US passport. “We live in America, it will stay that way,” said Maria about the future plans and said with a view to Charlotte: “She can decide which country she wants to play for someday.”