Tennis player Struff says goodbye to the competition in Stuttgart event
Stuttgart - In an exasperated manner, tennis veteran Jan-Lennard Struff, known for his lethal serve and adaptable playstyle, left Stuttgart after his 4-6, 5-7 loss to Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16. This disappointment marked yet another roadblock in his quest to break free from a nagging results rut, despite a spell as the finalist here in Stuttgart back in 2023.
"I ain't pleased about dropping in the second round, it's crystal clear," Struff said post-match, still smarting from the defeat on the Weissenhof. "I aim to step up my game in Germany in general." So far this season, Struff has seen a string of first-round exits, but a rare victory in the first round here still provided a glimmer of hope.
Struff's Reflections: "Should've done better, Mate"
"It wasn't up to par, quality-wise, compared to the first match. The first bout was fantastic. Of course, I intended to build on that," lamented the 35-year-old. "But in my current situation – a tough stretch the past few weeks and months – I'll take the win and keep the positives for Halle." Struff is gearing up for a new chapter on the grass next week at Halle.
Struff's skills have been less effective on grass compared to his hard and clay court prowess since 2022. In this face-off against favored and eighth-seeded Lehecka, he had a sluggish start and faced challenges with his serve from the outset. Dropping his serve at 2:3 set the tone for the first set.
The second set was a nerve-wracking affair. At 3:3, Struff faced a precarious moment. The wildcard entrant was momentarily close to leveling the match, but a critical serve break to Lehecka sealed the deal at 5:6. "I gave it my all," Struff summed up.
Zverev's Return to the Open Croquet
Thursday will see tournament favorite Alexander Zverev make his first appearance at this €751,630 prize money Wimbledon warm-up tournament. For the 28-year-old Hamburg native, his round of 16 match against Frenchman Corentin Moutet will be his first action since his disappointing quarterfinal exit at the French Open. A victory by the 17-year-old Nuremberg native Justin Engel against American Alex Michelsen would throw the tournament for a loop.
In Case You Missed It
- Struff's Grass-Court Form: Despite several participations in grass-court events since 2023, Struff's results on this surface have been inconsistent, failing to showcase significant tournament runs or titles.
- 2023 Performance: In Stuttgart, Struff did not progress beyond the early stages, with his most notable achievement at this tournament being a 2022 final lost to Frances Tiafoe. There are no significant results or deep runs documented for Struff at the Wimbledon or other grass-court events in 2023.
- 2024 Update: There is no mention of significant results or deep runs for Struff at Wimbledon, Stuttgart Open, or other grass-court events in 2024.
- 2025 Results: In June 2025 at the Stuttgart Open, Struff lost to Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16 with a score of 6-4, 7-5. Despite some grass-court victories prior to this match, Struff could not advance further against a formidable opponent.
In summary, Jan-Lennard Struff has not managed a deep run in any grass-court tournament Post-2022. In June 2025, during the Stuttgart Open, his most significant defeat came against eighth-seeded Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16. Despite occasional victories, Struff continues to struggle on the grass compared to his performances on hard and clay courts.
"In light of his disappointing performance, Jan-Lennard Struff aims to elevate his game in tennis, specifically focusing on improving his grass-court game due to his struggles in that area since 2022."
"With the Halle tournament approaching, Struff hopes to leverage his rare victory in Stuttgart as a source of motivation to perform better in his upcoming grass-court encounters, such as the one against Lehecka."
