Struff reaches Wimbledon quarters for first time after Hurkacz retires

Jan-Lennard Struff has reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon after a dramatic comeback victory. The 36-year-old German defeated Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in a grueling five-set match, with his opponent retiring due to injury when Struff was leading 4-2 in the deciding set.

“

Only the best for Hubi. The end was hard.

Struff found himself two sets down, losing 3:6, 6:7 (5:7). However, he fought back to take the next two sets 7:6 (7:2), 7:5. The match took an unexpected turn late in the fourth set when Hurkacz, a former Wimbledon semifinalist, left the court for treatment at 5:5. Despite receiving further treatment in the fifth set, Hurkacz struggled to move effectively, allowing Struff to secure the win.

Struff's historic achievement makes him the oldest male player in the Open Era, since 1968, to debut in a Grand Slam quarterfinal. His next opponent will be Jannik Sinner, provided Sinner defeats Shintaro Mochizuki.

“

I love that about Struffi; he can lose in the first round 37 times in a row and then suddenly play a Grand Slam quarterfinal.

German tennis star Alexander Zverev had previously expressed his admiration for Struff's resilience. "I love that about Struffi; he can lose in the first round 37 times in a row and then suddenly play a Grand Slam quarterfinal," Zverev had said. He described Struff as a "huge teddy bear" with no malice in him.

“

He is a huge teddy bear. He doesn't have an ounce of malice in him, I think.