Chengdu Universiade | Swiss Tennis Brothers Chasing Dreams Universiade Tennis | Players | Brothers
Chengdu, August 6th (Xinhua) - Swiss tennis players Henry von der Schulenberg and Jeffrey von der Schulenberg are only two years younger than each other. The two of them jointly participated in the Chengdu Universiade, belonging to the upper and lower halves. Only when they both made efforts to reach the finals can they meet at the peak.
Swiss tennis player Henry von der Schulenberg competed in the first round of men's singles. Image provided by the online news center of the Universiade
My older brother Henry is a student majoring in Applied Mathematics and Economics at Harvard University, while my younger brother is a student majoring in Global Security and Justice at the University of Virginia. The two brothers have been practicing tennis diligently since childhood, and their nearly 20 years of companionship on the tennis court have made them the strongest supporters of each other. For the first time participating in the Universiade together, my younger brother Jeffrey said, "There's nothing more dreamy than meeting Henry and me in the finals. We're all looking forward to it."
In the second round of the men's singles tennis tournament held on July 31st, both brothers defeated their opponents 2-0 and advanced to the round of 16 with a strong hand in hand.
Two days later, the two brothers competed together in the third round of men's singles. Although Henry, as a non seeded player, unexpectedly defeated the seeded player, his younger brother Jeffrey lost to a Japanese player, shattering his dream of advancing to the men's singles final together.
However, as the 10th seed player, Jeffrey's younger brother not only competes in men's singles, but also in men's doubles. Jeffrey said after being eliminated in the men's singles competition, "After this game, I can fully prepare for the doubles match. At the same time, I will continue to cheer for Henry."
On August 4th, the Swiss brothers once again competed simultaneously. Henry fought fiercely against Portuguese players and ultimately won the game, successfully advancing to the men's singles semi-finals. In the men's doubles semi-finals, his younger brother Jeffrey and his partner were narrowly defeated by the Czech duo. Jeffrey and his partner rushed to the central court immediately after the game to cheer for their brother who was currently competing in the men's singles.
Swiss tennis player Jeffrey von der Schulenberg competed in the men's doubles quarterfinals. Image provided by the online news center of the Universiade
Fortunately, according to the tennis format of the Universiade, there will be no bronze medal competition after the semi-finals, so both brothers will ensure to win a medal.
Speaking of the cheers from his younger brother and teammates off the field, Henry said after the game, "Their ability to accompany me on the sidelines has brought me great support, and fighting for the country itself is also an extremely honorable thing."
The two brothers also have a deep understanding of the enthusiasm of the Chengdu audience. Jeffrey really enjoys the atmosphere of the Chuantou International Tennis Center. He also said that when he hits some good shots, the audience will give him applause. Henry said, "The weather was very hot, and I had a tug of war with Portuguese players for over two hours. This game was actually very difficult. Playing with so many spectators watching on the central court, the atmosphere was very good."
This Universiade allowed the two brothers to come to China for the first time. Henry said, "I like the food in Chengdu. Although it's a bit spicy for me, I want to try hot pot. In addition, I really want to participate in the Chinese Bridge activity in the Dayun Village, learn to write Chinese characters, and buy some Chinese handicrafts to bring back."
