tennis
Struff makes a comeback at three ATP tournaments in China
Jan-Lennard Struff is about to make his comeback. photo
© Alessandra Tarantino/AP/dpa
Jan-Lennard Struff is about to return to the international tennis stage. After three months he wants to make his comeback on the ATP tour in China after a long injury break.
“I thought things would move on quickly, but I chose the sensible option,” said the 33-year-old professional from Warstein to the German Press Agency. He suffered a hip injury shortly before the Wimbledon tournament.
“I didn’t do anything for three weeks and didn’t play tennis for seven weeks because I kept having pain,” reported Struff, who was 21st in the world rankings in June, higher than ever before. “The doctor’s diagnosis was clear: If I start too early, it could also be difficult in terms of my career. It wasn’t worth it.”
Every point counts
He will make his comeback on the ATP tour at the Zhuhai Championships from September 20th to 26th. Afterwards, participation in Beijing and Shanghai is planned in China. The first goal is to get stability back. “It would be nice if I could end the year in 30th place and be back in rhythm by the end of the year so that I can be good next year,” said Struff.
At the Frankfurt tournament with new rules there will be no long games with sets, but instead it will be played for time with four quarters of eight minutes each. In addition, every point counts as usual in the tiebreak, there is no counting of the games with 15, 30, 40. “Here are interesting rules, an event where you want to play. I don’t see it as just a show,” said Struff, who was with nicknamed “The Thunder”.
He cannot take part in the Davis Cup duel at the weekend to stay in the league in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where Germany’s number one Alexander Zverev is also missing. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed and believe that they can do it, even if it will be a cauldron there,” said Struff before the game in Mostar.