A lot is new for the lanky 1.93 meter this time. Due to Gael Monfils’ cancellation, Otte even slipped under the 32 seeds on Church Road.
The external side effects are noticeably different than in all the years before. As a law, he can now enter the cabin of the stars. “It’s nice, like a living room with a small miniature golf course. Everything is more private, more chic,” says Otte about the luxury.
In a sporty manner, he avoids the very big chunks in the first laps by setting. In round two, either wildcard starter Jay Clarke or qualifier Christian Harrison is waiting. Feasible for Otte. Only then would a first cracker potentially wait with Alcaraz.
Otte: “I didn’t expect that”
Shortly before his 29th birthday on July 16, Otte has reached the peak of his career so far. 37th place in the world rankings – until now he only knew such spheres from afar. At the beginning of the year, the man from Cologne was still in 100th place, in May 2021 it was only 161st.
The ascent began in the late summer of last year. From qualifying, Otte played his way to the round of 16 of the US Open 2021. His by far greatest success, with which he escaped the lowlands of the tennis tour for the first time. Several tournament victories followed on the second-class Challenger Tour, with which he worked his way up the rankings.
This year, Otte really got going on the “big” ATP tour. In May he reached a semi-final in Munich for the first time. He then showed impressively on the grass that it wasn’t a “slip”. The fans experience the best Otte that has ever existed.
Where does that come from at the more settled tennis age of 28? Otte says in the “Kölner Stadtanzeiger”: “These achievements don’t come out of nowhere. I’ve always played good tennis in recent years. There was just a little lack of continuity”. But: “I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.”
The reward for his enormously increased continuity followed in March of this year: team manager Michael Kohlmann appointed him to the Davis Cup team for the first time.
“For years I was down, now I’m up”
He still finds his newly won privileges and the two-class society in the All England Club a little strange. “I was down for years, now I’m up,” said Otte, as if he could hardly believe it all.
But the new circumstances did not change him. He said last: “I’m still the same boy from Cologne.” He has maintained his friendly, open dealings with colleagues, fans and the media.
Rather, the 28-year-old is enjoying the situation he has “waited for for years” and has always worked hard for. For several years he has been training in Essen, at the Moraing family’s tennis center.