Kicking Off the Grass Court Season
Tennis Player Struff Announces Departure from Stuttgart Tournament
Stuttgart (dpa) - Jan-Lennard Struff, the 35-year-old tennis ace, departed Stuttgart in disappointment, his brows furrowed, following his round of 16 exit against Czech Jiri Lehecka, resulting in a 4:6, 5:7 loss. Despite being the finalist in this very tournament back in 2023, Struff's latest performance failed to take him past his current results slump.
"Losing in the second round isn't ideal, that much is clear," Struff commented post-match, expressing his dissatisfaction with his overall form in Germany this season. His disappointing performances thus far in 2025 have included numerous first-round losses, despite a rare victory in the initial round here.
Struff's Analysis: "Quality-wise, not up to the mark"
"It was unfortunate that the quality of play wasn't as good as in the first round," Struff observed. "Obviously, I wanted to build on my impressive initial performance." Despite his fluctuating form over the past few weeks and months, Struff plans to take the win and any positives from this tournament into next week's competition in Halle, where he will continue his grass court season.
Struff finds himself notably distant from the form he demonstrated just two years ago, narrowly missing out on the title here in 2023. Against the eighth-seeded Lehecka, he struggled from the outset, particularly with his serve, losing his service early on, eventually culminating in a service break at 2:3, which sealed the first set.
The second set showcased an exciting back-and-forth, with Struff narrowly escaping a tricky situation at 3:3. Although Struff wasn't far off leveling the set, he ultimately lost his serve at 5:6, handing the Czech the victory. "I gave it my all," Struff summarized.
Zverev Gears Up for Grass Courts After French Open Exit
In the upcoming tournament, Alexander Zverev—Stuttgart's favored player and Moutet’s opponent in the round of 16—will make a comeback on the Stuttgart's ATP 250 grass courts, which offer a total prize money of €751,630. Following a disappointing quarterfinal exit at the French Open, Zverev is looking forward to getting back on the grass courts on Thursday.
A surprising upset from Justin Engel, a 17-year-old phenom from Nuremberg, would be the highlight of the tournament.
Jan-Lennard Struff, a longtime ATP mainstay with a career rich in notable performances, has recently encountered some difficulty, grappling with a dip in results and various injuries. Despite his struggles, Struff remains a formidable opponent and will look to rebound in the second half of the 2025 season.
"Jan-Lennard Struff, the tennis ace, expressed his desire to improve his poor form in the sport of tennis, particularly in his current slump, after a disappointing exit from the Stuttgart tournament. Struff, who has a rich career in tennis, plans to take any positives from his disappointing performance in this tournament to his next competition, which involves sports like tennis on the grass courts of Halle."
"Despite the rise of new talent aiming for greatness in tennis, with Justin Engel, a 17-year-old phenom from Nuremberg, causing an upset in the tournament, Jan-Lennard Struff, a longtime ATP mainstay, remains a formidable opponent in the sport, aiming to rebound and reclaim his past form in the second half of the 2025 tennis season."
