Tennis: Struff is surprised with a third-round feed in the US Open

Thanks to a surprise coup in a highly competitive five-set match, tennis routinner Jan-Lennard Struff plays at the US Open to move into the round of 16. In the second round, the 35 -year -old Sauerlander came to the favorite Danes Holger Rune and triumphed after one up and down with 7: 6 (7: 5), 2: 6, 6: 3, 4: 6, 7: 5. After 3:25 hours, the Warsteiner won the game.

On Friday, the qualifying can move into the top 16 with another surprise against the American Frances Tiafoe-he would equalize his best Grand slam result so far.

Struff mischief: “So you want to tell me that I am old?”

“It was a brutal struggle. The atmosphere was crazy. It was incredible,” said Struff in the winner’s face on Court 17, the fourth largest place in the facility.

When asked that at the age of 35, he was the oldest German tennis professional who was able to defeat a top 20 player at a Grand Slam tournament, Struff, Slew: “So you want to tell me that I am old? I am happy to play such tennis.” And it works even more, he added. For Struff it was the first success against a player from the top 20 in a sporty year.

In a 2-1 set lead and a break lead, the Davis Cup professional was already close to the decision in the fourth set. But then he subsided on his surcharge and had to accept the new sentence compensation. In the decisive fifth set, he increased again. With a brave, offensive game, Struff secured the decisive break to 6: 5 and then kept his nerves on his own.

In qualification, Struff was still before

In the world rankings, Struff had recently slipped to 144. Only through the qualification he moved into the main field of the fourth Grand Slam tournament of the year. In the second of three qualification rounds, he had already threatened that. But then the rain saved him, the game was postponed to the next day and Struff could turn the match. If his match happiness stops, he could achieve a new record in New York.