World No. 1 Iga Swiatek comes from behind to defeat Jule Niemeier, advancing to US Open quarterfinals
ROGERS, Ind. – If you’re Jürgen Melzer, you can feel your confidence slowly grow.
Like the men chasing him, Melzer knows he’s going to be tested.
“It’s the only thing that matters,” he said.
As Jürgen Melzer and his father, Jürgen Melzer Sr., walked out to a packed Rogers Tennis Center on Monday evening, wearing their custom-made blue tops, white Adidas shorts and blue, white and red shoes, it seemed only right that the 16-year-old would enter the tournament as the top seed.
It didn’t happen, however.
As he and his father strode to the doubles court to play doubles alongside countryman and fellow 16-year-old Kyle Nubb, it was clear something was amiss.
It was clear the young Melzer was not in his element, not even close to representing North America in the U.S. Open.
Then he was on the court and it occurred to him: There is something different about him. Just like his father.
“He’s just way off,” Jürgen Melzer said.
That, and he’s playing good, he said.
Jürgen Melzer has been on a tear in this year’s US Open, winning his opening match, against his own countryman, the sixth seed Lucas Pouille, and on Monday he advanced to the quarterfinals in a three-set victory, against the seventh-seeded Niemeier.
Jürgen Melzer, 16-year-old No. 1 Iga Swiatek reacts to defeat of Jule Niemeier in quarterfinals of US Open