She has evolved from not even being on the radar two years ago to becoming one of the most dangerous foes in South Dakota girls’ tennis this fall. Julia Knie has experienced a meteoric rise seldom seen in the high school ranks.
The Aberdeen Central senior was not a varsity player as sophomore, then soared to the front of the line as the top player for the Golden Eagles.
“I was unnumbered all of middle school, and then freshman year I was seven, and then sophomore year I was seven,” Knie said, “and then I don’t know what happened last year. I really don’t.”
While Knie filled in at third flight singles for a few matches during her sophomore campaign, technically she was not a member of the varsity in singles or doubles until last year.
“She was seventh for two years because she always kept getting hurt during challenge week,” said Central coach John Vogel.
Last fall, Knie earned the top spot on the roster in singles and doubles, and finished State AA runner-up in doubles with partner Avery Tennant.
“She went from seven to one,” Vogel said, “and she went from no dubs to state runner-up.”
It all happened so fast, that Knie still isn’t sure exactly what transpired. She just knows it was a big adjustment from playing against junior varsity players to facing the elite players in the state.
“It was really hard to adjust to,” Knie said. “I still don’t really understand what happens a lot of the time.”
To be sure, her game has been a work in progress, going from a defensive player just trying to get the ball back to her opponents to now playing matches on her terms.
“She now takes charge of matches,” Vogel said.
For Knie, it’s sort of been a trial-and-error journey, seeing what works best at that level.
“You just see what gets smacked back at you and what doesn’t,” she said.
Knowing that her remaining matches are limited now that she is a senior, Knie has taken a bit of different approach to the game, becoming more aggressive as the season has gone on, saying “no matter what I do, this is my last time ever doing it.”
The results have been evident as Knie has turned into a dominant player, winning her last nine matches heading into today’s Eastern South Dakota Conference Tournament.
While her style and her results have changed this season, so have her goals.
“My goal at the beginning of the season was to hopefully place at ESD or state, and seeing the competition this year, my goal changed from having kind of like a numerical goal to … not doing worse than my ranking or my seeding, and just making it a good memory,” Knie said. “Because I don’t want to look back on my last tennis season and be like, yeah that was just stressful, I’m just glad it’s over.”
Knie said regardless of the setting, the nerves are always there, but they are self-induced.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s first round of C.C. Lee in like June or July or if it’s like state,” Knie said, “it doesn’t matter, I’m always nervous, always.”
The big difference now is that opponents are also likely feeling a bit uneasy when they look over and see Knie across the net.
Vogel noted that Knie is currently playing the best tennis of her career.
“That’s what I guess we want our upperclassmen to do, is at the end of the year to be playing their best and Julia is a great example of that,” Vogel said. “Every single match you see her doing something different.”
Knie has not only made a major contribution at the top of the lineup, but also on the rest of the Golden Eagles. Her leadership has impacted all of the players, but one in particular, her seventh-grade sister Sarah who currently plays fifth flight varsity singles.
“I want my little sister Sarah to have a good run, because she’s starting early and I just wish I had that opportunity to be introduced to tennis, because Sarah started playing tennis when she was like 4 and I didn’t start until I was in sixth grade,” Knie said. “I hope she has a good run, because she’s going to have so much time to improve and I just can’t wait to see where she ends up her senior year.”
From saving her best for last to leading her teammates on and off the court, it’s safe to say that Knie is now definitely on the radar.
“If you go by lead by example,” Vogel said, “we have a wonderful example at the top in Julia Knie.”
