Zverev as “bad” as in 2016: Struff climbs the German tennis throne

Zverev as “bad” as 2016
Struff climbs the German tennis throne

May 22, 2023, 3:19 p.m

Changing of the guard in German tennis: For the first time since August 2016, Alexander Zverev is not the national number one in the world rankings. The Olympic champion, who is struggling for his form, falls behind Jan-Lennard Struff, who recently played furiously. There is also movement at the top of the ranking.

Jan-Lennard Struff has officially replaced Alexander Zverev as number one in the German tennis rankings. In the new ATP ranking, the 33-year-old is in 26th place thanks to his furious performance and thanks to reaching the final at the Masters in Madrid around two weeks ago – one place ahead of Zverev, who is still looking for his top form after his serious ankle injury around a year ago . For Struff, before the highlight of the clay court season at the French Open in Paris from May 28th to June 11th, it is the best placement of his career.

27th place for Zverev, the 26-year-old was last listed that low in September 2016, for the first time since August 2016 he will no longer be the highest-ranked German professional. Yannick Hanfmann, who recently knocked out two top ten players (American Taylor Fritz and Russian Andrej Rublev) on his way to the quarter-finals at the Masters in Rome, is also entering previously unachieved spheres in 64th place. In the women’s world rankings, Tatjana Maria is the best-placed German in 64th place, ahead of Jule Niemeier in 72nd place.

There is also movement at the top of the world rankings. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz is back in first place after a strong clay court season so far. Alcaraz won, among other things, in the final in Madrid after a tough fight against Struff. The previously leading Grand Slam record winner Novak Djokovic from Serbia fell back to third place behind Rome winner Daniil Medvedev. In the absence of the injury-plagued Spanish record winner Rafael Nadal (14 titles), the three top players will be starting in Paris with great ambitions. Alcaraz is aiming for the second Grand Slam title of his career on the red sand of Roland Garros.