STUTTGART/STARNBERG, June 13, 2024
Jan-Lennard Struff delivered an impressive performance in the second round of the BOSS Open against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, showcasing flawless serving and a dominant tie-break in the second set. The 34-year-old German, ranked 35th in the world, didn’t face a single break point, and broke his opponent’s serve in the first set to secure a 6-4, 7-6(0) win.
In the second set, the German finalist from last year came closer to a break than Rinderknech, but it went to a tie-break, where Struff excelled, winning without dropping a point to secure his spot in the quarterfinals after one hour and 19 minutes.
A perfect tie-break secures a place in the quarter-finals for @Struffitennis 🥯👌#BOSSOPEN pic.twitter.com/yF8j88d3Np
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 13, 2024
“I served very well, didn’t give away any break points, and played well at the net. That was very important and the key to winning the match,” Struff said. The Warstein native feels particularly comfortable in Stuttgart: “It’s a great tournament with fantastic support from the fans. It’s just wonderful to play in Germany. The stands were lively today, and it will probably be even more crowded tomorrow. It would be nice to stay here for the next few days.”
Next, Struff will face Brandon Nakashima from the United States, who defeated French veteran Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 in 71 minutes. Struff commented on his upcoming task: “It won’t be an easy match. He beat Eubanks, who won the tournament in Mallorca last year and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Today, he also played very well against Gasquet.”
If both Struff and Frances Tiafoe, who plays against Britain’s Jack Draper win their quarterfinal matches on Friday, there will be a rematch of last year’s final, which the US-American won in three dramatic sets. “It would be cool to play Tiafoe again, but first, we both have to win our matches tomorrow,” emphasized Struff.
Berrettini beats Shapovalov
In other action, two-time Stuttgart champion Matteo Berrettini of Italy beat Denis Shapovalov of Canada 6-4, 6-4. The 28-year-old Rome native converted two of his third break-point opportunities to prevail after one hour and 14 minutes.
“I knew that I hadn’t beaten him,” said Berrettini in his post-match interview. “[We played] two really tough matches, but they were a long time ago. I knew that I had to play my best tennis in order to beat him, and I did today.
“I know that so far in my career I’ve been pretty successful on grass. I think it’s my best surface, and I love to play especially here in Stuttgart. I’m really happy to be in the quarter-finals. Now I need to rest a little bit and wait until tomorrow to think about tomorrow.”
Berrettini will next meet Australian qualifier James Duckworth, who fought past US-American Ben Shelton 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3. The encounter lasted two hours and four minutes.
