Jan-Lennard Struff has reached the final after a three-set win against Hubert Hurkacz at Stuttgart’s Weissenhof. There the German meets Frances Tiafoe.
Jan-Lennard Struff has reached the final of the lawn tournament in Stuttgart for the first time. In front of around 5,000 spectators and the three-time Wimbledon winner Boris Becker, the German Davis Cup player impressed with his 3: 6, 6: 3, 6: 3 in the semifinals against the former Polish Wimbledon semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz. In the final, the world number 24. win his first ATP title and become the first German tournament winner at the Weissenhof since Michael Stich in 1991.
Jan-Lennard Struff: “The mood is world class”
“I’m very, very happy. The mood is world class. Tomorrow it will definitely be really cool. It means a lot to me to be in my third final. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and will give everything, »said Struff.
Praise from Boris Becker
Becker also got up from his seat after the success. “It’s a big win for him. He plays with incredible self-confidence. Great lawn tennis, compliments,” said Becker on “ServusTV”.
Six weeks after his brilliant run to the final of the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid, the Davis Cup player got off to a bad start in the semifinals at the Weissenhof. The Sauerland was quickly behind 0:3. At first he found no means against the surcharges of the Halle winner of 2022. It was only in the second round that Struff used his only break ball to gain a decisive advantage to equalize the set.
Standing ovations for “Struffi”
Struff, Stuttgart semi-finalist from 2019, continued to play aggressively as in the previous games, scored again and again with his powerful forehand and earned the success. The fans celebrated the Sauerland for his strong performance in preparation for Wimbledon (July 3rd to 16th) with standing ovations and shouts of “Struffi”.
Regardless of the result, it was already clear that the Warsteiner would move up to at least 21st place in the world rankings on Monday and replace Alexander Zverev as German number one again. In addition to the final in Madrid this year, Struff was also in the final in Munich 2021.
In the final against Frances Tiafoe
In the Stuttgart final, Struff meets US Open semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe. In front of around 5,000 spectators, the 25-year-old American won his semi-final 6: 3, 7: 6 (13:11) against the Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics. Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker was also among the spectators on Center Court.
After Tiafoe won the first set, the two delivered a high-class and entertaining second round: After a rally with the better end for Fucsovics, in which both showed a feeling for the ball, the two clapped friendly during the subsequent change of sides. In the tie-break, Tiafoe, seeded three, fended off six set balls from the outsider before using his first match point to make it 13:11.
German double moves into the final
The German tennis doubles Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz also made it into the final in Stuttgart. The duo from Coburg and Frankfurt am Main prevailed in the semifinals on Saturday 7: 6 (8: 6), 6: 7 (12:14), 10: 4 against Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden from India and Australia . Krawietz and Pütz were unable to use four match points in the tie-break of the second set. A match tiebreak followed. In the final on Sunday (12 noon), the two will meet the Olympic champions Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic from Croatia.
