From Eckental into the wide world: Mies and Krawietz before the "crowning glory"
For double specialists Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz it is the "crowning glory" of an incredible tennis year: in London they compete with the best in the world before a childhood dream comes true in Madrid.
by SID
last edit:
Nov 03, 2019, 08:56 am
It's only been twelve months, but sometimes it feels like another tennis life for Andreas Mies. In autumn 2018, he and Kevin Krawietz struggled in Eckental for a few world ranking list points, today the destinations are Paris, London and Madrid. "I must honestly confess that sometimes I catch myself at the thought: It's amazing what happened this year!" Says Mies in an interview with the Sports Information Service (SID) .
Faster than the German top doubles, nobody has yet made the leap from the Middle Franconian province into the big, wide tennis world. Krawietz (27) called the development in the Süddeutsche Zeitung "indescribable", for Mies (29) it is "unbelievable". The superlatives have long gone out the two, while waiting for the "grand finale" only.
After the Masters in Paris, the city where they made the big splash at the French Open in early June, Mies and Krawietz continue to London for the season finale of the top eight teams in the gigantic o2 arena. "That's a highlight, and then we're celebrating our childhood dream with the Davis Cup - there's no better year-end," says Mies.
"Show that we were not a one-hit wonder"
Team captain Michael Kohlmann, once himself a gifted doubles player but far less successful than his proteges, has called the duo for the premiere of the final tournament in Madrid in his squad. "I looked at Davis Cup from an early age, Becker, Stich, Kohlmann," says Krawietz, "then call Kohlmann and nominate one, which shows that we were not a one-hit wonder."
Mies and Krawietz never had any fears of disappearing quickly into oblivion. "Such a Grand Slam victory gives you a lot of self-confidence, of course, and if you doubt anything about yourself then you do not have them all anymore," says Mies, "We believe we can achieve anything in tennis." They have proven it all.
It did not even go smoothly in the 2019 season, it was more of a constant "ups and downs, just like every year, just on a different level," says Mies. In February they won their first title on the ATP Tour in New York - and then received two first-round defeats. Again and again they had to go through the second-rate Challenger tour before everything changed after the title in Roland Garros.
Keep Fun Factor
It took a while for the Rhinelander Mies and the Franke Krawietz to make friends with the limelight. Six upbreaks later they reached the semi-finals of the US Open, in October they won their next title in Antwerp, in London and Madrid follow the next stages of their rapid ascent, which should not end there, however.
"We have to make sure that we keep the carefreeness and the fun factor in the matches, which are high on our list," says Mies. There are only a few changes, the good friends want to "act smart." A few euros come in - and you have to invest, "says Krawietz. For the flight to Australia at the beginning of the new season, both treat themselves to a business ticket, in the coming year probably also a fitness trainer for 15 weeks. Both had dreamed of such luxury a year ago in Eckental.