So far, in 2025 Jan-Lennard Struff was a year to forget. The balance is as bad as last in 2015. At the US Open, he had to dig through the qualification, but is now in round three and gets a match on a big stage in Big Apple.
As is well known, New York is considered a metropolis in which pretty much anything should be possible. But at the US Open in the Queens district, sensations in the men’s field have so far been a “Mission Impossible.” There were simply none on the first five tournament days – but there were at least a few surprises. And Jan-Lennard Struff provided a big one. The 35-year-old has reached the third round and meets the previous year’s semi-finalists Frances Tiafoe, from the US.
Depressing season – until now
He expects a “really tough match,” says Struff. But he is used to hard work in New York these days. For him, the duel with Tiafoe is already his sixth game in Flushing Meadows. Because the German slipped to position 144 in the world rankings – and therefore had to take the detour through the qualification into the main field.
The fact that Struff is one of the best 32 at the last Grand Slam of the year was not to be expected after his previous season. He had come to New York with a balance of 9:18 victories – Struff was not that bad since 2015. At 15 tournaments he was already out in the first round – even as defending champion in Munich. And in Cincinnati, Struff failed three weeks ago at the start of the qualification.
Joy in Struff even more objective
Nevertheless, the 35-year-old had actually defeated Holger Rune in five sets in the second round of the US Open. After all, the Dane was the number eleven of the seed list. A look at the ranking shows that Jake Draper is the highest eliminated excreted in Flushing Meadows. However, the Brit, which was led at number five, could not compete against Zizou Berg from Belgium due to injury. Next on this list: Holger Rune. In other words, nobody has so far eliminated a higher professional professional than struff.
Struff was then asked whether it was his biggest victory this year. His answer was by no means exuberant, but rather considered. It is “Definitely a very important victory” he said. Wimbledon, added the right -handed man from Warstein, was “of course also good”. There he had won in the second round against the Canadian Felix Auger-Alicassime, which was set to number 25, and had earned a third-round duel with Carlos Alcaraz, which he lost in four sets. But Wimbledon’s days, these two victories in the first rounds, were the big exception in the tennis year.
Duel against Tiafoe in front of many spectators
On June 19, 2023, he was still led to position 21 in global ranking. It was the best world ranking placement of his career. Struff had lost the final of Stuttgart 6: 4, 6: 7, 6: 7 the day earlier, making his first tournament victory narrowly. Even today he speaks of one “Brutally horny, tight match.” His opponent at the time: Frances Tiafoe.
Struff describes the American, against whom he has a record of 1: 2, as a “extroverted guy”, who love to play on hard courts and take the audience with them. It will be a match in front of many spectators. Because Struff VS Tiafoe is held on the Grandstand, the third largest stadium in Flushing Meadows, with a capacity of 8125 places. When Tiafoe won in four sets in round two against his compatriot Martin Damm, all blue seat shells were occupied – and there were several hundreds of fans at the stage circulation.
Trembled by the qualification
Struff has to smile a bit when he thinks of his next game. Because it would not have been missing and he would have left in the second round of qualifications. He had lost major problems against Japanese Taro Daniel, the first set 2: 6. Then came the rain – and the rescue. Because the match had to be interrupted. That helped him, said Struff. After the break, the German dominated the game and won 2: 6, 6: 4, 6: 1.
In his career, he will probably never come close to the top 20 again. But Jan -Lennard Struff can still be an unpleasant opponent at the age of 35 – even for top players. So far, his best Grand Slam result was the round of 16 at the French Open. Once again such a performance as against Rune – then the veteran could certainly ensure the next surprise in these surprises that have so far been manageable.