Struff warns Jannik Sinner: “Otherwise, it’s pointless”

Just a few hours before the start of his Wimbledon quarterfinal match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Jan-Lennard Struff reaffirms his determination and confidence heading into what is, in fact, the most important match of his career. For the first time, at age 36, the German tennis player has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, and now he has no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.

“It will be an incredibly difficult challenge—that much is clear. But of course, I’m confident I can achieve something. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense—it would be pointless to step onto the court. I have to prepare as best I can, and then we’ll see what happens.”

In his 47th Grand Slam appearance, Struff has managed to reach the top 8 of a Grand Slam: “Overall, I’m very happy because this is a huge achievement for me. I’m 36 years old, and this is my first quarterfinal—it’s simply incredible.”

The German’s path to this point in the tournament has been anything but easy, but it’s been top-notch. Struff eliminated, in order, Sebastian Baez, Brandon Nakashima, and Daniil Medvedev, before reaching the quarterfinals thanks to Hubert Hurkacz’s retirement during the fifth set, with the German leading 4-2. This run underscores the consistency of the No. 74 player in the ATP rankings, who has proven capable of defeating top-tier opponents on the London grass.