Professional tennis circuit - Tennis player Struff may have a new chance at victory in Stuttgart.
Last year's runner-up Jan-Lennard Struff is just a win away from a potential rematch with defending champion Frances Tiafoe in the Wimbledon warm-up tournament in Stuttgart. If the German number two in men's tennis beats American Brandon Nakashima in the quarterfinals on Friday, it'd be great to have a repeat of the exciting 2023 final at TC Weissenhof. As long as Tiafoe manages to maintain his favorite status by beating British player Jack Draper.
"Of course, it would be awesome to play this match again," said Struff after his successful performance in Stuttgart this year. He's not too familiar with Nakashima, the 22-year-old American, as they haven't played against each other before. However, his world ranking (35th) shows his potential. The same goes for the quarterfinals.
Another strong serving match
On Thursday, the last remaining German participant in the Stuttgart grass event made it to the quarterfinals by defeating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6:4, 7:6 (7:0). Struff won the tiebreak in the second set without giving up a point. "In the tiebreak, it was quite good. I just got a good start. And I managed to stay aggressive and take the momentum to my side," said Struff.
His powerful serve was a key factor in his eighth final win. He handled his service games flawlessly, remaining in the lead throughout the match. Rinderknech didn't threaten his serve until 5:4. At that point, Struff took advantage of a brief weakness in his French opponent's game to win the first set. After a challenging tiebreak that lasted 79 minutes, he managed to secure his win with his first match point.
First ATP Tour title in Munich
"It was a challenging match, but also a good match," evaluated Struff. He loves playing in Germany and appreciates the support he receives in Stuttgart. "It's a nice tournament, it's fun to play," said the Warsteiner, who is hoping for some warmer weather.
In April, Struff scored his first title victory on the ATP Tour in Munich. In Stuttgart, he's still one victory short of achieving the same. The tournament with a prize money of 812,235 euros has only one German left in the singles. Yannick Hanfmann from Karlsruhe and Dominik Koepfer from Schwarzwald have already been eliminated in the eighth final. French Open finalist Alexander Zverev withdrew from the event after losing in Paris. The Hamburg player will begin his grass season next week in Westphalia. [PS: Apologies for any errors, English is my second language]
Read also:
- Should Struff triumph over Nakashima in the quarterfinals, he could potentially face defending champion Frances Tiafoe in the ATP Tour event held in his hometown of Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
- The International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranked 35th player, Nakashima, will be an unfamiliar opponent for Struff in the ATP Tour event in Stuttgart, but his strong serving ability and high world ranking are not to be underestimated.
- The last German competitor in the Stuttgart grass event, Struff, celebrated a quarterfinal win against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech with a score of 6:4, 7:6 (7:0), demonstrating his powerful serve and flawless service games throughout the match.
- Struff's successful performance at the ATP Tour event in Munich earlier this year earned him his first title victory, and he hopes to repeat that success in Stuttgart, where only one German player remains in the singles competition.
- Jan-Lennard Struff's impressive career includes playing in prestigious events like Wimbledon and the ATP Tour, showcasing the international caliber of German tennis talent.
- As the Stuttgart ATP Tour event continues, Munich-based tennis star Frances Tiafoe aims to maintain his favorite status and secure a potential rematch with Struff in the ATP Tour Final, which will take place at the tennis courts in Wimbledon, London.
