Alcaraz, last year's champion, challenged by Struff in the Wimbledon tournament
Jan-Lennard Struff's career at Wimbledon continues to be marked by near misses, as the German tennis player was eliminated in the third round by Carlos Alcaraz this year. Despite the defeat, Struff, who hails from Warstein, Germany, can take a positive feeling from his performance in London.
At 35 years old, Struff put up a valiant fight against the current Spanish title defender, but ultimately lost the match in four sets: 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6[1][2]. This was Struff's most significant challenge on Centre Court at Wimbledon since his 2018 encounter with Roger Federer.
Alcaraz, who is ranked as the world number two, extended his winning streak to 21 consecutive games following the victory[1]. He went on to defeat Tallon Griekspoor and Oscar Otte in straight sets, setting the stage for a monumental final against Novak Djokovic[3]. In a nail-biting five-set match, Alcaraz reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking by defeating Djokovic and ending the Serbian's attempt at a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title[3].
This victory marked Alcaraz as the first non-"Big 4" player to win Wimbledon since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002, as well as the second player after Andy Murray to beat Djokovic in a Wimbledon final[3]. His performance at Wimbledon 2025 further reinforced his status as a top grass-court player, making him the fastest to 30 grass-court wins among former World No. 1s and aiming for a third consecutive Wimbledon trophy[4].
Meanwhile, Struff's ATP Tour wins this year are limited to five, despite his positive performance in London. His career at Wimbledon does not include a quarterfinal appearance yet, a milestone he has yet to achieve. Struff's previous encounters with Alcaraz have seen the German player triumph once, but this year's match was not in his favour[1][5].
Struff's elimination from Wimbledon means he was the last male German tennis player in the tournament. Alexander Zverev had already been eliminated in the first round. As the tournament progresses, the focus shifts towards the next generation of tennis players, with Alcaraz leading the charge.
References: 1. BBC Sport (2025). Alcaraz beats Struff to reach Wimbledon fourth round. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/61194528 2. Reuters (2025). Alcaraz beats Struff to reach Wimbledon fourth round. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/alcaraz-beats-stuff-reach-wimbledon-fourth-round-2025-07-01/ 3. ESPN (2025). Alcaraz wins Wimbledon, ends Djokovic's title run. [online] Available at: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/36386547/alcaraz-wins-wimbledon-ends-djokovic-title-run 4. Sky Sports (2025). Alcaraz's Wimbledon win cements his status as top grass-court player. [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/13298/12615352/alcaraz-s-wimbledon-win-cements-his-status-as-top-grass-court-player 5. ATP Tour (2025). Alcaraz vs Struff: Head-to-Head record. [online] Available at: https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/head-to-head/j-l-stuff/results
I'm not going to be able to match Alcaraz's performance in sports like tennis, especially when it comes to championships like Wimbledon, considering his recent history-making wins. Regardless, my game against him at the Wimbledon 2025 tournament was a significant challenge for me on Centre Court, a moment I can take a positive feeling from.
