Beach volleyball duo Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann: "We want to play a big role"

Germany is also hoping for medals in beach volleyball at the European Championships.

The World Cup bronze duo Müller/Tillmann also wants to clear up in Munich.

Munich – At the World Championships in Rome in June, Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann surprisingly won the bronze medal and saved the otherwise meager German balance sheet.

They also want to shine at the European Championship.

World Cup bronze, world number 5 - that sounds like pressure before the European Championships?

Cinja Tillmann:

Oh no, of course we want to play at the European Championship as best we can.

But we tend to think from point to point.

Not to a specific placement.

Svenja Müller: For me it is the first European Championship for adults.

Above all, I'm looking forward to the experience – even in front of my own audience.

After the World Cup, Corona slowed you both down.

For six weeks you remained without a tournament appearance.

Are you afraid that the match practice is missing?

Tilmann:

That's not a problem.

In the end, with Gstaad, only one tournament would have realistically come into question.

We left that out.

But we had enough time to get physically fit.

And last but not least we had the Nations Cup in Vienna.

From that point of view it fits - we are looking forward to it.

There are trainers who say it takes a year to break in a beach team.

They work in a much shorter time.

Is it normal when the top German talent meets one of the more experienced players in the business?

Müller:

We're just a good mix.

I'm still young, Cinja is an older, more experienced player, and one of the best defenders in the world at that.

That just fits.

Tillmann: Although it has to be said that the idea with the two of us is not entirely new.

We had our first meeting back in 2019. Back then we talked to my coach Hans Voigt about trying it together.

It went in a different direction back then, I played with Kim Behrens.

What's different now?

Müller:

Well, above all, I've finished school now (laughs).

Ms. Tillmann, you didn't join the centralization in German volleyball.

Together you belong to the Hamburg base after all.

Müller:

Of course, it also has many advantages.

The distances are short and we are with our trainer Kirk Pitman.

Tillmann: Although it's not like we only train in Hamburg.

We still work a lot with our exercise bikes.

Svenja with Markus Dieckmann, I with Hans Voigt, who takes care of my athletic training.

A professional team is expensive and critics say that you have to be successful in Germany to be able to finance it at all.

Does their development play into your hands?

Müller:

We don't complain (laughs).

Of course a lot depends on it.

We have the trainers, two physios, a psychologist ... but we have the Bundeswehr, which is a big supporter.

We have the sports aid, sponsors, prize money - so far we're getting along quite well.

Her eyes are on Olympia.

But the competition is tight nationally.

Four German teams are in the top 20.

Tillmann:

The competition is even greater in Brazil (6 teams in the top 20), but this internal competition is only good for things.

In this respect, I very much hope that the development will continue in Germany.

We're happy when there are a lot of strong teams to rub shoulders with.

In the past you even went to court.

Because you didn't think the competition was fair.

Among other things, because the DVV preferred teams when awarding wildcards.

Among others, Laura Ludwig with Margareta Kozuch.

Now there is a similar constellation with Laura Ludwig and Louisa Lippmann.

Do you fear deja vu?

Tillmann:

No, because the world association has done something about the problem.

At that time it was the case that the starting places in the tournaments were limited and sometimes you were not allowed to start, even if you were better off in the rankings.

It's different now, now any number of teams can start.

That really is fair competition.

Sports director Niclas Hildebrand was one of the driving forces at the time.

He is now free.

Relieved?

Tillmann:

Of course we noticed that a lot was happening there.

But honestly, we don't want to deal with these things any further.

Our theme is sport.

And so to the EM.

What role does she play in a year like this?

Mueller:

A big one.

An EM in front of your own audience, and then with all these other sports around.

This is an absolute highlight.

I think it's going to be a really nice party.

Interview: Patrick Reichelt