Jan-Lennard Struff surprisingly reached the third round at the US Open. The Warsteiner defeated on Wednesday evening (local time) in New York in his second-round match, the number eleven eleven-set Holger Rune after a playful and mentally extremely strong performance in a real five-set thriller with 7: 6, 2: 6, 6: 3, 4: 6 and 7: 5.
For Struff, it is already the second third round in a Grand Slam tournament in a row. Already in the Wimbledon the 35-year-old had moved into the third round and there he failed at the later finalist Carlos Alcaraz. In New York, the Warsteiner now meets local hero Frances Tiafoe.
Struff fetches the first set in the tiebreak
Against Rune, Struff was good in the game on the Court 17 filled to the last seat from the start, relied on his variable game, served safely and kept looking for the decision by network attacks. In the end, the German showed his nerve strength when he first defended a set ball and then secured the first round in the tie -break. As a result, Rune threw the racket to the ground. It shouldn’t be the last time that evening.
In the second section, however, the Dane was on the trigger, Struff took the serve twice and secured the passage with a concentrated game 6-2 in the end. Struff shook only briefly and came back strengthened in the third set. After both of them could get their service games, the Warsteiner struck 4: 3 from his point of view and secured the break with a network roller. Rune Schläger flew again, qualified Struff then got the sentence with his own serve.
Fifth set as a nerve battle
The roller coaster ride continued afterwards: After the German had already secured a break in the fourth round and seemed to be on the winning road, Rune was knocked off for him directly, later a break and equalized for the second time.
The fifth round had to bring the decision and quickly developed into a nerve battle. Until 5: 5, neither of them showed a weakness, then Struff used his first breakball with a crashing forehand winner. Shortly afterwards he finally won this five-set thriller with an ASS after 3:25 hours. “It was an absolute fight. I’m just happy, thank you for this support,” said Struff after the victory.