The chance for the first Grand Slam title is here: tennis pro Tim Pütz is in the final of the mixed competition at the French Open. Alongside his Japanese partner Miyu Kato, the 35-year-old from Frankfurt beat Matwe Middelkoop (Netherlands) and Aldila Sutjiadi from Indonesia in the semi-finals 7-5, 6-0 and will be playing for the title on Thursday (12:00 p.m.).
“I’d rather be in the doubles final, but of course I’m also happy to be in the mixed finals,” said Pütz: “Hopefully we can still pull off a win tomorrow. It’s definitely going to be a tough one.”
The day before, Pütz had failed in the men’s doubles alongside Kevin Krawietz in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, on the other hand, is Andreas Mies. The 32-year-old meets the Belgian duo Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille together with Middelkoop on Thursday.
Mies is still aiming for his third Grand Slam title. In 2019 and 2020 he won alongside Krawietz in Roland Garros before the two parted ways.
Puetz’ mixed partner Kato made headlines on Sunday: after accidentally hitting a ball girl in a women’s doubles match, she and her partner Sutjiadi, who curiously defeated her in mixed, were disqualified.
The decision then caused criticism, and Boris Becker also called it “exaggerated” at Eurosport. The next day, Kato burst into tears at a press conference she held together with Pütz, left the media room early and was comforted by Pütz.