A Whiff of Comedic Relief: 17-Year-Old Tennis Sensation Engel's Grass Debut Steals the Show in Stuttgart
Young tennis sensation Angel astonished in Stuttgart tournament
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link Without a pinch of salt, 17-year-old tennis sensation Justin Engel served up a storm in his initial professional match on grass, leaving spectators in awe. Despite a banana-related blunder, Engel stood his ground and wrapped up the end game like a seasoned pro. Even a notable US player caught wind of his performance.
In his Stuttgart debut, Engel stomped his way into the quarterfinals. Fueled by a remarkable comeback and some serious guts, the 17-year-old from Nuremberg outmuscled Australian James Duckworth 4:6, 6:4, 7:6 (7:5) in the opening round.
At 5:4 in the third set and serving, Engel had two Game, Set, Match points, but a banana-flub cost him dearly. He proceeded to claim victory in a tiebreak after 2 hours and 29 minutes, collapsing onto the grass in triumph. "I'm damn proud of myself," beamed the wildcard participant.
Seider Spots Engel's Banana Blunder
Besides a botched first serve at the outset, Engel quickly shed his jitters. In the critical third set, he required treatment at 2:3. He groaned of light-headedness and found himself trailing, but his feelings of wooziness soon dissipated. "I failed to chow down on some bananas," Engel disclosed. Presently, he ranks an impressive 281 worldwide.
Among the spectators was NHL defenseman Moritz Seider, who was taking a breather during his summer vacation at home in Mannheim. "I'm just a sports enthusiast. I take every opportunity to witness amazing feats," Seider shed light on his visit to the tennis tournament with his girlfriend, former short track speed skater Anna Seider.
Engel is part of a star-studded clan of 17-year-olds who are compelling German men's tennis to look forward to a promising future after Alexander Zverev. Niels McDonald garnered attention as the French Open junior champion last weekend, clinching a German championship victory against Max Schoenhaus. Diego Dedura, similar to Engel, is already playing on the ATP circuit.
Zverev Readies for Grass Battle
Whilst Alexander Zverev gears up for his grass season, having bowed out in the French Open quarterfinals, Yannick Hanfmann's tournament concluded. The qualifier from Karlsruhe was forced to retire against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics with scores of 5:7, 4:6. Jan-Lennard Struff advanced to the quarterfinals on Monday.
[1] ntv.de, dbe/dpa (2025).[2] Championat.com (2025).
Source: ntv.de, dbe/dpa, Championat.com, USA Today (2025).
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding the sports sector, given the growing popularity of young talents like Justin Engel in tennis. Moritz Seider, a professional ice hockey player, attended Engel's grass debut tennis match in Stuttgart, demonstrating his admiration for various sports amid his summer vacation.
