Young German Tennis Players Causing Chaos in Paris
Flashing the Tennis Court: Shining Stars Niels McDonald and Max Schoenhaus Bringing German Tennis Back to the Spotlight
In the heart of the French Open, two German teenagers, Niels McDonald and Max Schoenhaus, are turning heads and sending ripples in the world of tennis. The duo hails from Schwerin and Ense, and they're steamrolling their way through the junior competition, dreaming of a historic win. The last German to triumph was Daniel Elsner back in 1997, with Alexander Zverev reaching the final in 2013.
Hamburg's Zverev is now an ace among the pro ranks, but he didn't quite push it as hard as the dynamic 17-year-olds. These juniors have already gone the extra mile. McDonald kicked off the run with a thrilling 7:5, 6:2 victory over Romanian Yannick Theodor Alexandrescu, with Schoenhaus following suit. To secure their spot in the semis, Schoenhaus outplayed American Benjamin Willwerth in an enthralling three-set match, 6:3, 1:6, 7:6 (13:11).
Bonus Read: "Can't even fathom...": Zverev's laid-back response to reporters
On Friday, these two will face off for a coveted slot in the final. McDonald squares up against Japanese Ryo Tabata, while Schoenhaus challenges Bulgarian Iwan Iwanow. Julia Stusek was the last German to exit in the women's junior competition. (sid/vb)
Want more? These up-and-coming tennis phenoms, McDonald and Schoenhaus, found themselves in the first all-German boys' final at the 2025 French Open junior competition. Niels McDonald, born January 26, 2008, in Cardiff, is a young powerhouse with dual German and British citizenship. After spending his early years in London, he moved to Schwerin, Germany, at four. McDonald reached a career-high ITF junior combined ranking of No. 19 on March 17, 2025, and later clinched the singles title at the 2025 French Open, becoming the first German to win the boys' singles title at a major since Alexander Zverev in 2014[2][3].
Max Schoenhaus, the other half of the explosive duo, has yet to see the limelight as much as McDonald, but his prowess on the court shouldn't be underestimated. Reaching the final of the 2025 French Open junior competition, Schoenhaus has been carving himself a solid niche in the junior tennis circuit[1][4]. These two tennis titans have rekindled hope for a German tennis resurgence.
In the ongoing French Open junior competition, Niels McDonald and Max Schoenhaus, two German teenagers, are making a significant impact in the world of sports, particularly tennis. Notably, McDonald, a rising tennis star with dual citizenship, became the first German to win the boys' singles title at a major since Alexander Zverev in 2014.
