Triumph at the French Open
Historical Germans succeed in German tennis hopes
07.06.2025 – 4:19 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
The big coup succeeds in the Grand Slam level for a German young player. Niels McDonald prevailed in the final – against a compatriot.
The 17-year-old Niels McDonald was the first German tennis player to have won a Grand Slam tournament in the juniors since Alexander Zverev. The Schweriner prevailed in the final of the French Open in the duel with the same age Max Schönhaus with 6: 7 (5: 7), 6: 0, 6: 3 and thus celebrated the greatest success of his young career. It was the first purely German final at a junior grand slam for almost 30 years.
Zverev had triumphed at the Australian Open in 2014. The Olympic champion was also the last German young player to date, who was in the final in Paris. In 2013 he lost to Chilenen Cristian Garin. Zverev had already left Novak Djoković in the quarter -finals this year.
The meeting with Schönhaus initially developed balanced. McDonald lost the first set in the tie -break before he dominated and left no doubt at the exit. On the court Simonne Mathieu in the Stade Roland Garros, he showed a convincing performance after he had already presented himself in a strong form during the course of the tournament. His training focus is currently in Stockholm.
A special moment also took place away from the square: Philipp Petzschner, national coach and former Wimbledon winner in doubles, had to redeem a debt before the final. After it was clear that one of his protégés would win the title, he had his head shaved as a commitment.