Niemeyer Falls in Qualifying Finals

Former Blue Raider Fred Niemeyer lost in four sets to South Africa's Izak Van der Merwe Thursday in the third and final round of the qualifying tournament for The Championships at Wimbledon. (MT)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Former Middle Tennessee All-American Fred Niemeyer fell one step short of reaching the main draw at The Championships at Wimbledon, falling in four sets to South Africa's Izak Van der Merwe Thursday in the third and final round of the qualifying tournament.

Van der Merwe won the match, 6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, over Niemeyer for one of the eight qualifying spots in the 128-man main draw.

Niemeyer has played in The Championships at Wimbledon three previous times, once in singles in 2003, a year in which he made it through the three-round qualifying tournament, and in doubles in 2005 and 2006.

The Magog, Quebec, Canada, native defeated 17th-ranked and 22nd-seeded Felix Mantilla in the first round of the main draw in 2003, 6-4, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (3). Niemeyer lost in the second round to Wesley Moodie.

Niemeyer was a three-time All-American for the Blue Raiders and is the all-time career and single-season leader in wins in both singles and doubles. He was a singles All-American in 1997 and garnered the accolade in doubles in 1994 with Paul Goebel and 1996 with Anthony DeLuise. Niemeyer reached as high as No. 4 in the national singles rankings in 1997, a season in which he posted a 38-6 overall record.