Frances Tiafoe downs Jan-Lennard Struff to clinch Stuttgart Open
Jun 18, 2023
Stuttgart [Germany], June 18 : Frances Tiafoe overcame Jan-Lennard Struff in a thrilling final at the Stuttgart Open on Sunday to clinch his third tour-level title.
The American saved one championship point to overcome the 33-year-old German 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(8).
In a heavy-hitting encounter at the ATP 250 event, Tiafoe and Struff exchanged blows for two hours and 12 minutes. Struff struck 56 winners to 36 from Tiafoe and saved all three break points he faced. However, he fell agonisingly short of a maiden tour-level crown, with Tiafoe sealing victory in a dramatic third-set tie-break with a stretched volley winner.
Following his 27th victory of the year on Monday, the third seed, who saved the match point at 6/7 in the third set tie-break, will move into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.
Since May 2012, when Mardy Fish and John Isner were Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, two Americans have not appeared in the Top 10, with countryman Taylor Fritz at No. 8.
With victories in Houston earlier this year and now three tour-level titles, 25-year-old Tiafoe has had success. He has never before triumphed in a championship on grass.
Struff, up three spots to No. 21 in the ATP Live Rankings, now holds a 0-3 record in tour-level finals. The 33-year-old advanced to the championship match in Munich in 2021 and Madrid in May.
