Struff who has dealt with injuries since couldn’t capitalize on this. But he showed that his form is very much still there under the right circumstances. He put together an epic series this week despite the conditions which saw frequent rain and even snow.
In a tournament expected to be won by Alexander Zverev or Holger Rune, it was Struffi that shined the brightest in a 7-5, 6-3 win in the final over Fritz who also finds his feet again after an indifferent run since winning Delray. Taking just an hour and 20 to seal the sun, the second set in particular was sublime.
The first saw him Fritz have set point at 5-4, but this was snuffed out by Struff as he turned the tables after this winning three games on the spin including a break for the set. This seemed to know the stuffing out of Fritz. He went 5-2 up in the second set but was broken back immediately. Only for Struff to snuff out a potential comeback by breaking to seal it. At the age of nearly 34, it is finally a first title and one to savour.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.