How German winter led to Jennifer Brady's breakout summer at US Open

Out of the cold and into the fire.

Or for Jennifer Brady: out of a German winter and into a scorching summer - the best of her professional career.

The 25-year-old former college player is 10-1 since the season restarted and has followed up her first WTA title last month by reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final.

It's not just the number of victories that have caught the eye, but the manner too - all 10 coming in straight sets and all featuring some very heavy hitting. Even Angelique Kerber, one of the best defenders and counter-punchers on tour, had no counter to Brady’s huge forehand and serve when they met in the last 16 at the US Open.

That was the first time Brady had been in the last 16 of a Grand Slam since 2017. Now she’s in the last four, and says she owes much of her success to spending the winter in the German town of Regensburg with her coach, Michael Geserer, rather than in Orlando, where she lives.

“I decided if I want to give myself an opportunity to maximise my potential and see how far I can get as a tennis player, I think I have to make a change,” she said after her quarter-final demolition of Yulia Putintseva.

“Because they were based out of Germany, I decided, OK, I'll go to Germany. I had no problem with that. I was looking forward to it, something different, out of the box, different from the usual staying at home and training in Florida.

“So I went over to Germany and trained indoors in the winter, and, you know, I was a little concerned about that, playing indoors in the cold weather before going to Australia, but honestly, it really didn't make much of a difference. Yeah, really happy with the decision.”

There were signs earlier this year that Brady, who is the first US college player to make the US Open semi-finals since 1987, could be set for something special.

After coming through qualifying at the Brisbane International she beat Maria Sharapova and world No 1 Ashleigh Barty. Although Brady didn’t make an impact at the Australian Open – losing in the first round to Simona Halep – she showed more progress in Dubai as wins over Elina Svitolina and Garbine Muguruza saw her reach the semi-finals.

Then, since the restart, she has been virtually unstoppable, with her only loss coming against fellow American Jessica Pegula in the opening round of the Western & Southern Open.

“This year, starting at the beginning of the year, I felt like a different player,” she says. “I'm not putting expectations on myself but also not surprised when I'm doing well at a tournament.

“Recently I have just been going on court with not putting expectations on myself to perform well but instead to just focus on what I can control and just competing on every single point.

“I think that's been a huge game changer for me. Also knowing that I have the physical ability to perform and hang with the top players, that also takes off some pressure or stress from myself and my mental side.”

The sudden leap in Brady’s rise should not be under-estimated.

Before this run to the semi-finals at the US Open she hadn’t made it past the second round of a Grand Slam in the last two years. She even admits she had “doubts” whether she would make it to the top as she played second-tier events and lost in qualifying rounds.

“But I think I'm pretty lucky to have just stuck to it and just really continue to just play and practice and compete and get better. You know, here I am today.”

Next up for Brady? Naomi Osaka, who won the US Open in 2018 and has looked in good form in her last two matches - both straight-set wins.

The pair have met twice in the past, both winning once, and Osaka has called Brady a “big threat” ahead of their meeting on Thursday evening.

When Brady last made it deep into a Slam – three years ago - she was blown away in just 46 minutes by Karolina Pliskova in the last 16 of the US Open. But she’s come a long way since.

“Three years can make a huge difference. I think I have matured. I definitely have gotten a lot fitter, I feel a lot stronger out on court, have a lot more confidence in myself and my game.

“I know what I'm doing out there. I believe in myself, my game, that I'm good enough to win matches and to be at this level and to be where I am today.”