Zahraj, Schunk Crowned Germany’s National Champions

Patrick Zahraj (photo: DTB/Claudio Gärtner)

BIBERACH/STARNBERG, December 10, 2023

Nastasja Schunk and Patrick Zahraj have been crowned 2023 Germany’s National Tennis champions. Both managed to secure their victories in two sets against their opponents on Sunday. Over the course of a week, 96 tennis players competed in Biberach an der Riß for the country’s most prestigious national tennis title.

In the women’s final, Schunk, who is supported by the Porsche Talent Team, faced off Stephanie Wagner. Despite her recent long-term injury, Schunk displayed a commanding performance right from the start. Holding a 1-0 set lead, the 20-year-old swiftly won the first three games in the second set, setting the stage for a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory.

“The win means a lot to me. It’s a good conclusion to a tough year. I was out for a long time, and this is only my third tournament. So, I’m happy that I managed the final well,” said a delighted Schunk following the awards ceremony.

The men’s final turned into a real thriller. Daniel Masur entered the match against Zahraj as the favorite and quickly took a 4-1 lead. However, Zahraj managed to shake off his initial nervousness and turned the tide to claim the first set. The second set remained tense. It was only at 5-5 that the 24-year-old secured a 7-6(3), 7-5 victory with two consecutive game wins.

Reflecting on his success as a first-time German national champion, Zahraj said, “It was a hard-fought match. I was trailing with a break in both sets, but I managed to fight back. In the end, luck was on my side.” When asked about his tournament journey, where he defeated the top seed, third seed, and fifth seed, he added, “That’s indeed quite special. Winning the first round was good, but being able to build on that makes the title even more special.”

You can find all the results from the German National Championships here.