Wildcard Wunderkind: Justin Engel Shines in Stuttgart Drama
Young tennis prodigy Angel catches off-guard in Stuttgart tournament
17-year-old tennis prodigy Justin Engel, hailed as the future of German tennis, took center stage in his debut grass match. showcasing unfazed cool and grit in the face of an embarrassing banana mishap. Catching the attention of a popular US star.
In his first professional grass match, the Nuremberg-born Engel became the talk of the town with a quarterfinal appearance at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart. Earning a comeback and impressive display of nerve at the end, he triumphed against Australian James Duckworth 4:6, 6:4, 7:6 (7:5) in the first round.
Struggling at 5:4 in the third set with his back against the wall, Engel squandered two match points, but ultimately emerged victorious in a nail-biting tiebreak after 2:29 hours. Collapsing onto the grass in relief, he exclaimed, "I'm freaking proud of myself!"
Seider Joins the Audience for Engel's Dramatic Debut
Besides a botched first serve at the start of the match and an embarrassing banana mishap, Engel quickly overcame his inexperience. With the pressure mounting during the crucial third set, he received treatment for dizziness while trailing 2:3. Despite falling a break down, Engel rallied to defeat Duckworth. Laughing off the incident, Engel humorously confessed, "I forgot to eat bananas!" Currently ranked 281 in the world.
Following his impressive debut, tennis enthusiast and NHL defenseman Moritz Seider was among the spectators. Spending his summer break at home in Mannheim, he attended the tournament with his girlfriend, former short track skater Anna Seidel.
German Tennis' Rising Stars
Engel is part of a quartet of 17-year-olds giving German men's tennis a strong sense of optimism for the future, after Alexander Zverev. Last weekend, Niels McDonald made headlines as the French Open junior champion, vanquishing a formidable German opponent Max Schönhaus in the final. Fellow talented player Diego Dedura is already competing on the ATP Tour, much like Engel.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev is gathering momentum for the grass season, after his French Open quarterfinal exit. Currently seeded first, with a first-round bye, Zverev will compete on Thursday at the €751,630 prize money Stuttgart tournament. Unfortunate for qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, his run came to an end after losing to Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 5:7, 4:6. Jan-Lennard Struff advanced to the quarterfinals on Monday.
All eyes will be on these young rising stars, as they continue to make their mark on the tennis world, promising an exciting future for the sport in Germany.
[1] Engel, J. (2022, June 13). Stuttgart Grass ATP Tour Catching Attention - Justin Engel. NTV.de.
[2] DPA. (2022, June 13). Tennis: 17-Year-Old German Prospect Justin Engel Makes Grass Quarterfinals. NTV.de.
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding the promising young tennis players in Germany, such as Justin Engel, who is making waves in the sport, as evidenced by his quarterfinal appearance at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart. Meanwhile, sports enthusiast and NHL defenseman Moritz Seider watched Engel's dramatic debut, as he spends his summer break at home.
