A year ago, Jule Niemeier was ranked No.167 in the world and lost in the final round of Wimbledon Qualifying.

Eleven months later, she cracked the top 100 for the first time and made her Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland-Garros, where the 22-year-old fell in the first round to Sloane Stephens in three close sets.

In just her second Grand Slam appearance, and first main draw at Wimbledon, Niemeier has stormed into the quarter-finals, where she takes on fellow German Tatjana Maria on Tuesday.

“I came here, I just wanted to win my first round after losing in Paris. Now, being in the quarter-final in Wimbledon, I don't know, I'm speechless. It just feels not real. I'm just so happy,” an elated Niemeier said following her fourth round triumph over Heather Watson.

A mix of power and touch

Born in Dortmund and based in Regensburg, Niemeier has a game that combines power with variety.

During her match against Watson, former world No.1 and commentator Tracy Austin likened the German to Ashleigh Barty, saying Niemeier had many special skills and presented “an awkward game” to her opponents.

“When I started playing tennis, it was not that I really focused on special shots like drop shots or volleying. It was just there. I always felt like I don't really need to spend that much time on court,” Niemeier told wtatennis.com in an interview last year.

She has a big forehand, which she has used to fire 39 winners through four matches this Fortnight. She’s also been efficient up front, winning 77 per cent (44/63) of her net points.

“I'm trying to be creative on court,” she told reporters at Wimbledon on Sunday.

“I can play fast, I can play slower, use the slice, drop shots. That's what I'm trying to do, just mix it up a bit on court so the opponent doesn't know what is coming. Yeah, it's working. Of course, especially on grass, using the slice and the drop shot, is pretty effective.”

A fast learner

Niemeier, the world No.97, has dropped just one set, to Lesia Tsurenko in the third round, en route to the quarter-finals.

She dismissed No.2 seed Anett Kontaveit in straight sets in the second round and was ruthless against Watson in the last 16.

The way she has quickly adapted to new situations and facing high-ranked opponents has been remarkable.

“In the first couple of matches against top players, I was hesitating a bit. I thought I have to play something special,” she said.

“If you play those players, you just have to stay there. You have to play every point. You have to stay consistent, just focus on every point.

“That's what I'm trying to do now, to just really use the experience and, yeah, just go there. Of course, I'm showing respect, but, yeah, I'm just trying to win every match.”

A strong 2022

While this Wimbledon run may seem to have come out of nowhere, it’s important to note that Niemeier has won a lot of matches this season so far.

Across Qualifying and main draws, ITF and WTA tournaments, she has claimed 29 victories in 2022, including two titles in Croatia.

Solid coaching set-up

Niemeier trains at the academy of Michael Geserer – who has coached players including Julia Goerges and Jennifer Brady – in Regensburg and has been coached by former top-20 doubles player Christopher Kas since April.

“It's going pretty well. He's a really nice guy. He's always in a good mood. He's really trying to push, just try to enjoy the life on Tour, which is really important because the life is pretty stressful. You just have to try to focus on something else. That's what he's trying to do,” she explained.

“He's a former player. He knows what I'm going through on court. He has a lot of experience and that's what he's trying to give me.”

‘Perseverance’

Niemeier has a tattoo on her left arm of a mountain with the word ‘perseverance’ underneath.

It’s a term she tries to embody every day on tour, and one that perfectly describes her idol Rafael Nadal.

“For me Rafa is the best player. Of course, Roger and Djokovic have done a lot for tennis. But for me personally, Rafa is like on top of everyone,” she said.

“I just love how he's playing, how he is as a person. He's so humble. He's just enjoying his tennis right now.”

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