The 17-year-old Justin Engel has to pay tuition after his coup against Jan-Lennard Struff. But the Hamburg Rothenbaum is a good place for upcoming tennis cracks. Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev also started here.
It was prepared for the “greatest game of his life so far”. Justin Engel, the 17-year-old hope of the German men’s tennis, was ready for the match against the Russian world-class player Andrej Rublew. The sun was beaming on the Center Court at the Hamburg Rothenbaum and the spectators who enthusiastically received the youngster on Wednesday afternoon, were happy about the Course appearance of the Nuremberg, which was the world rankings 17. accepted his surcharge directly.
“I wanted to set an example right away and show that I can also play quickly.” However, the trees for angels do not grow into the sky like the 3: 6, 5: 7 after a splendid game with exciting ball changes and hard resistance.
Second victory on the ATP tour
It was a short, much-noticed high flight at the Hamburg Open, which had started with his “solid most Match, which I ever played” against the more than twice as old Jan-Lennard Struff (35). The only second victory of the world ranking 333. On the ATP tour and the first at a 500 event-at least the third highest category in men’s tennis. “Of course I was nervous. But the spectators supported me scary.” Boris Becker was also a fenceast, Engel knew: “Maybe he will give me a few more tips. I would be happy.”
“It is good that we have a very talented player again who plays here on the Center Court. He has a good environment, with Philipp Kohlschreiber an absolute expert as a coach. The next few years will now show how much he really wants it.”
– Boris Becker
The leap into the top 300 of the world rankings and maybe soon the first qualifying participation in a Grand Slam tournament are offered, even if the praise anthems after the tie break crime thriller against its former babysitter Struff have become quieter again.
From Nadal to Zverev – role models
But maybe the enthusiastic spectators on the Rothenbaum in Engel saw a new star in the German tennis sky. In fact, the stadium on Hallerstrasse has often been a kind of sporting birth for young and still largely unknown players who got the first merits and self -confidence on the red sand and matured into world stars. His model Rafael Nadal, for example, who achieved the round of 16 in 2003 in the Masters, which was still the second highest tournament category according to the Grand Slams – not even 17 years old.
Talentchmiede Rothenbaum
Even when German tennis took it after the glorious time of Boris Becker and Michael Stich, the Rothenbaum turned out to be talent smiths.
A Hamburg Jung ‘named Thomas Haas was prepared in 1997 to succeed the later tournament directors Becker and Stich. The Haas called 19 years old was then called Tommy and stormed into the semi -finals with a wildcard. In 2012, he was the first German since 1993 winner Stich in the final.
Alexander Zverev started the ATP tour at 16 in Hamburg.
For Zverev, his home tournament was equally the goal of his childhood dreams. And they fulfilled in 2013 when the Stich tournament director “gave” a wildcard “gave” the then 16-year-old. It was Zverev’s start on the ATP tour and just a year later he made his way into the semi-finals in Hamburg. 30 years after the triumph of his mentor Stich won Zverev 2023 on the Rothenbaum and the following year failed in an exciting final against the Frenchman Arthur Fils.
Zverev: “The way to the top is rocky”
Many good examples of ambitious and down -to -earth Justin Engel, to whom a great future is attested. Although it is neither fair nor logical to turn a highlight a success story. But the 17 -year -old and his companion of the same age, the Berlin Diego Dedura, are – to believe the experts – the most promising perspective players of the German Tennis Federation (DTB).
Zverev, meanwhile, emphasizes Engel’s great potential: “It is completely clear that he has talent and blows,” said the world ranking third in the NDR sports club and warns: “But the way to the top is stony. It will have to handle setbacks.”
Davis Cup winner Steeb as a consultant
“I work hard, invest a lot in my tennis, in my career,” says Engel, whom a professional team accompanies. As the responsible coach, the former world-class player Philipp Kohlschreiber, the coach father Holger Engel, is at the side. The former Daviscup winner Charly Steeb acts in the background. On behalf of the Projectfive agency, to whose clients also belongs to Becker, he also takes care of the marketing of the hope as a consultant and supervisor.
Trainer Kohlschreiber: Rather braking than pushes
“The good thing is that you don’t have to push him at all,” said Kohlschreiber, who once made it to position 16 in the world rankings and knows what is important. “Sometimes you even have to tell him: ‘Hey, it’s enough.’ But prefer to teach him how cool it is to be a tennis player. “
Justin Engel will cope with the defeat. Flights are hard fighting – and every match continues, says Engel: “I need more games like this.”
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Hamburg Journal | 21.05.2025 | 7:30 p.m.
