17:47
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 3:3
The next points will be decided either by Lehečka’s service winners or unforced errors. At 40:30 the Czech unpacks another good serve, Struff’s return sails wide. 3:3.
17:46
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:3
What legwork! Struff, who leads after games for the first time in this set, only runs behind the whole rally, but still gets every opponent’s shot. A high forehand is good in the end, Lehečka chooses the risky variant and tries the overhead shot from far behind. A mistake, the ball flies sideways out of bounds.
17:44
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:3
Defended – and quickly won the game afterwards! There are three free points in a row for the German. Lehečka returns the sometimes well-beaten serves incorrectly.
17:42
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:2
Very nice: Struff dares after a good serve. The serve-and-volley sits, even comes across as a short-played winner with the backhand. But Lehečka scores the next point, distributes the shots well and can then place the ball in the orphaned backhand side. break ball!
17:41
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:2
Struff is now positioned a little further forward in the baseline duels, at the beginning he acted far too defensively. With a cross backhand, the 33-year-old wants too much and sends it sideways.
17:39
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:2
But in this service game, Lehečka seems more insecure – and he actually gives it away. The youngster follows a double fault with a forehand that is too low. Break for Struff! 2:2 after games, everything balanced again.
17:37
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:1
First Lehečka gives too much speed to a forehand and allows Struff to break the ball, then he doses an inside-in shot just right – winner at the start.
17:36
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:1
Lehečka equalizes again to 30:30, forces Struff’s excessive return with a strong serve.
17:35
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:1
Backhand cross rallies are common these days. Struff is now more stable, while Lehečka is making more and more mistakes. The Czech gave up the fifth rally in a row with an avoidable mistake.
17:33
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:1
That happens again to the up-and-coming Czech at Spielball Struff, so Jan-Lennard Struff comes on the scoreboard. 1:2 after games.
17:32
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:0
This time Struff defends the break chance, and in the next rally Lehečka shoots a backhand too far.
17:31
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:0
When it comes to rallies, Lehečka has been the dominant player to date. He dominates the rally in the beginning and then pulls a backhand longline, strong winner to breakball!
17:29
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:0
Struff made a good first serve at 214 km/h on Court 13, but hit the ball with the frame on the following forehand.
17:28
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:0
The 21-year-old Lehečka finds his shots better at the beginning. He sends a return out, but can also draw level in Struff’s next service game to 30:30.
17:26
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 2:0
In this, however, he gives Struff no chance. The German is not well positioned with a backhand, so he doesn’t get it over the net.
17:26
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 1:0
Lehečka’s first service game is also balanced. Although the Czech achieved the first winner of the match, he also made it a debut.
17:23
Jiří Lehecka – Jan-Lennard Struff 1:0
But after the strong first serve, Struff is a bit too error-prone and starts the match a little nervous. When the score was 30:30, he allowed the breakball with an unforced error, which the Czech opponent immediately exploited – an unfavorable start from a German point of view.
17:20
Jiří Lehecka – Jan Lennard Struff 0:0
Struff actually starts his first service game strong with an ace, but then makes the first avoidable mistakes.
17:18
Here we go
Struff played his two best Grand Slam tournaments here in Paris, reached the round of 16 of the French Open in 2019 and 2021. He would like to (at least) repeat that, the basis for this would be a good start to the tournament – let’s go!
17:17
First German progress?
On yesterday’s opening day in Roland Garros, Jule Niemeier (against the clearly favored Kasatkina) and Oscar Otte (against Shevchenko) each suffered a defeat in the two German-Russian duels. Struff could be the first German player to move into the second round, and Tatjana Maria could do the same in the parallel match.
17:13
Lehečka out of shape
While Struff is in strong form this clay court season and won twelve of his 17 matches at ATP level (including qualifying matches), Lehečka, who started the year well, recently had to cope with setbacks on clay courts, flew at the Masters tournaments in Rome and Madrid out in the first round. The Czech actually feels comfortable on the red surface, all of his three Challenger titles were won on sand.
17:02
second round opponent
But the winner will get a more manageable task in round two: Hamad Medjedovic (WRL 168th) or Marcos Giron (WRL 75th) are waiting in this one – probably the American Giron, who is leading in the parallel match with 20 sets.
17:01
Complicated task?
His opponent Jiří Lehečka remains in 41st place in the world rankings and is therefore the opposite of a bye in round one – especially when you consider that Struff – admittedly unusual in a Grand Slam tournament – is on the seeding list (21). . “He’s a strong player, it’s not the dream draw,” commented the German.
16:56
status as number one
With this strong performance in Madrid and other good results in the 2023 calendar year, Struff recently even officially replaced Alexander Zverev as number one in German tennis, and Zverev has climbed past him again in the new world rankings. The 33-year-old emphasized before the match that he didn’t really care: “Sascha was injured for a long time last year, we all know where he should normally be.” Nevertheless: last week the career high at world number 26 (currently 28) was impressive and Struff will certainly travel to Roland Garros with a little broader chest.
16:51
German hope
Since Varvara Gracheva designed the last sentence quite clearly in her favor, the match is coming to an end and Struff and Lehečka can slowly prepare. Among the German tennis players, Struff is one of the greatest hopes of this French Open, if not the greatest. The actually clear number one Alexander Zverev is still struggling with a persistent weakness in form since his comeback, Struff filled the gap considerably during this time. As is well known, the Warsteiner almost wrote a tennis fairy tale in Madrid, in the final against Alcaraz he almost missed being the first lucky loser in the qualification to win a Masters tournament.
16:23
Patience is required
Struff and his Czech opponent Lehečka still have to be patient. The second match on Court 13 has been going on for more than an hour now, but Dalma Galfi has just extended it into the third set.
14:24
Late start
Because Schwartzman and Zapata Miralles will savor the full five sets in their match and then meet again with the women Gracheva and Galfi, a start before 4 p.m. is not to be expected.
14:22
Welcome
Good afternoon and welcome to Jan-Lennard Struff’s French Open first round match! The Warsteiner will duel with the Czech Jiří Lehečka on court 13 for entry into the second round.