Veteran Struff finds his first title in Munich | ATP Tour

Munich

Veteran Struff finds his first title in Munich

He is the third oldest first-time champion in ATP Tour history.

April 21, 2024

By ATPTour.com/es Staff

Touching glory surrounded by compatriots is a privilege and Jan-Lennard Struff has been able to savor that moment. The German won the first ATP Tour title of his career this Sunday at the BMW Open in Munich, breaking down a personal wall of special significance. As a veteran of his 33 years, the victory in the Bavarian event underlines his professional perseverance, capable of achieving a goal that he had brushed with his fingertips in recent seasons.

The No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings had to overcome one last interesting obstacle, defeating third seed Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-3 in an intense atmosphere turned in his favor. A day full of rain and overcast skies cooled the final match, demanding an extra effort in the search for the cup. The German, who had scored his first final in the 2021 edition, completed a great story in Munich for everyone to remember.

“It’s amazing and doing it at home is even more special,” Struff said during the on-track interview. “I have waited a long time. I am 33 years old and I have been playing on the circuit for many seasons. It is incredible to have achieved it here in Germany.”

The arrival of clay has once again made the best level of the German, the recent protagonist of great feats on the surface, flourish. Last season, before the eyes of the Mutua Madrid Open, he managed to become the first lucky loser capable of climbing to the final in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament. With his shoes stained with clay, his racket flies again.

“I have played sensational tennis this week, I feel very happy,” he acknowledged. “I have defeated great players and what I have done today makes me immensely happy.”

Furthermore, Struff’s victory was a reflection of his enormous professional tenacity. At 33 years and 11 months, the German became the third oldest player to lift his first title in ATP Tour history. His milestone in Munich is only surpassed by the Dominican Víctor Estrella Burgos (34 years, 6 months in Quito 2015) and the Italian Paolo Lorenzi (34 years, 7 months in Kitzbühel 2016).

The victory achieved at the BMW Open once again places him among the big names in the locker room. After completing a challenging week against the strongest, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime or two-time champion Holger Rune, Struff will rise to No. 24 in the PIF ATP Rankings this Monday – just three spots shy of his career-best mark. .

Did you know…?
Jan-Lennard Struff is the sixth German player to lift the individual cup at the BMW Open in Munich. Since its introduction to the ATP Tour calendar in 1972, local figures such as Jürgen Fassbender (1974), Michael Stich (1994), Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016), Tommy Haas (2013) and Alexander Zverev (2017-18) have left his mark on the Bavarian clay.