STUTTGART/STARNBERG, June 6, 2022

Jan-Lennard Struff has made a successful return to the courts by reaching the second round of the BOSS Open in Stuttgart. In his first match since the Miami Open in late March, the 32-year-old German fought past US-American Marcos Giron 7-5, 5-7, 7-6(8) on Monday.

Struff, who has had to deal with a persistent foot injury and entered the ATP 250 grass-court tournament with a wild card, needed to save two match points in the tie-break of the third set to secure victory in two hours and seven minutes.

Moving On! 👉@Struffitennis delights the home crowd by overcoming Giron 7-5 5-7 7-6 in Stuttgart#BOSSOPEN pic.twitter.com/xWfl7trAUf

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 6, 2022

“I’m very, very happy that I won,” said a relieved Struff. “It’s been a tough two months for me. I’ve been training well for the last few days, but a match is something different. Towards the end, the crowd pushed me to win.”

Up next for the World No. 103 will be sixth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who beat Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 17 minutes.

Struff will be joined by his compatriot Oscar Otte in the second round. The 28-year-old from Cologne emerged victorious from the all-German affair with Daniel Altmaier, winning 7-6(2), 7-6(4). Otte outpointed his rival 77-66 after one hour and 26 minutes.

“It was a difficult match for me because I know him well and we play doubles together,” said Otte afterwards. “It was also my first match on grass. I’m just happy to have won the match.”

Otte will next play fourth-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

In other action, Benjamin Bonzi of France defeated Spanish wild card entry Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-1 in 65 minutes and Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot edged out Portuguese veteran Joao Sousa 6-2, 7-6(7). The encounter lasted one hour and 43 minutes.

The results of the day at the #BOSSOPEN #atptour #stuttgart #tennis pic.twitter.com/SOWb3nMUia

— BOSS OPEN (@theweissenhof) June 6, 2022