16:36
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 2:2
Under pressure, Alcaraz finds his first ace through the middle. Then Struff’s backhand return cross is good again, Alcaraz’s backhand gets stuck in the net. All service games are fought over here at the beginning, it’s all about deuce again.
16:35
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 2:2
Alcaraz moves to the net after serving to the outside and backhand cross, but Struff makes it difficult for the Spaniard. The backhand half-volley is simply outstanding and unattainable for the German. Then Alcaraz makes an unforced error with his backhand – 30:30.
16:34
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 2:2
Struff consistently responds early to every serve from Alcaraz. This time again, the return through the middle is too quick for Alcaraz. Then the Spaniard serves well to the body, Struff’s return doesn’t come over the net – 15:15.
16:32
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 2:2
Struff frees himself well from the defense, comes forward with a good forehand cross angle and finishes with a backhand volley cross that was unattainable for Alcaraz. Then the Warsteiner fires an ace through the middle with his second serve to make it 2-2
16:31
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:2
What a passing ball! Struff takes a high return as a forehand drive volley cross into Alcaraz forehand, which crosses him at insane speed from far behind the baseline. Then the Spaniard’s stop gets stuck on the edge of the net – 30:30.
16:28
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:2
Alcaraz returns a good serve to the outside in a way that’s somehow uncomfortable for Struff, who comes to the net and stops the forehand volley almost too long. However, Alcaraz’s path is long and he can no longer get the ball over the net. In the next rally, Struff comes to the net again early, but plays two volleys a bit uncleanly, so that Alcaraz passes him with the backhand – 15:15.
16:27
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:2
Now Alcaraz is successful with the stop, after working on Struff’s backhand, the forehand stop cross is too good for the Warsteiner. He then puts a forehand into the net from the middle of the court and Alcaraz gets through his serve somewhat happily.
16:26
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:1
Again Struff applies extreme pressure with the return, fires a forehand cross and comes to the net with a backhand slice cross. Alcaraz backhand lob sails out. However, the Spaniard is also able to fend off the next breakball – this time with a quick serve that flies from Struff’s frame into the stands – making his debut again.
16:25
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:1
With an unforced error on the backhand side, Struff misses the first break ball, then he takes full risk on the longline backhand return, but it flies a little too long. Alcaraz would have had no chance there, that’s what Debut says.
16:23
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:1
Again Struff finds a quick backhand return and even at the Alcaraz stop he is quickly in front and puts the ball briefly crosswise. Alcaraz gets close, but puts the ball longline out to the side. Then the youngster has to go over the second, receives a quick backhand return from Struff through the middle and Alcaraz puts the forehand into the net. There are the first two break balls for Struffi.
16:22
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:1
After a powerful backhand return, Struff moves straight to the net and ends the point with a forehand volley. The 34-year-old is also in charge in the following rally, but Alcaraz’s counterattack with the backhand is quick, so that Struff’s backhand volley goes just out of bounds – 15:15.
16:20
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 1:1
Struff finds a good angle with the serve to the outside, Alcaraz’s cross return just barely hangs on the edge of the net. Then Alcaraz works out a good position in the field with a forehand inside-out, but the typical forehand stop goes deep into the net. Struff brings through his first serve game after fending off a break ball.
16:19
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
A service winner after a serve through the middle brings Struff his second ball. However, he makes his second double fault, which stands after a challenge – debut.
16:18
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
Struff drives Alcaraz wide with the serve outwards, but carelessly puts his forehand into the net. The breakball results in a backhand cross rally, Alcaraz’s backhand longline is risky and flies slightly sideways out of bounds – again.
16:16
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
Struff finds a quick serve through the middle, Alcaraz’s backhand return goes slightly out to the side. Then the Spaniard takes control of the rally with the return, a powerful forehand inside-in is too fast, Struff’s emergency shot sails out. Struff has to make his debut in the first service game.
16:16
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
Alcaraz moves a forehand inside-out from the middle of the court by centimeters. Then Struff plays serve-and-volley, but the backhand volley after the serve flies outwards a little too long – 30:30.
16:14
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
An unforced error with the backhand from Alcaraz was followed by Struff’s first double fault – 15:15.
16:13
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:1
There is another longer rally in which Alcaraz makes a rather careless forehand error. Then the Spaniard has to go over the second and is put under direct pressure, but he frees himself well from the defense before Struff throws a forehand too long.
16:11
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:0
The Spaniard’s first double fault brings Struff his first point. Then the kick serve to the outside is too good, Struff’s high return is used by Alcaraz with a forehand drive volley for the winner and two game balls.
16:07
Jan-Lennard Struff – Carlos Alcaraz 0:0
Alcaraz starts with a powerful forehand inside-out immediately after the serve to the outside, which Struff can hardly reach. Then Struff gets into the rally, but Alcaraz is too solid and ends the point with a forehand volley at the net to make it 30-0.
16:05
Alcaraz opens
The players are already on the pitch and getting used to it, so it starts on time. Struff won the place selection and decided to serve, Alcaraz will soon start the game with his own serve.
16:02
Struff has already beaten Alcaraz
In addition to last year’s final, there were two other meetings between Struff and Alcaraz. At the French Open 2021, Struff was able to easily beat the then 18-year-old Alcaraz in three sets, and the following year at Wimbledon the Spaniard prevailed in a five-set thriller.
15:54
Hard to beat Alcaraz in Madrid
Carlos Alcaraz feels particularly comfortable in his home country and especially in Madrid. The 20-year-old has not lost a match in the Caja Magica since being eliminated in the second round in his 2021 debut. There are now 14 wins in a row in Madrid, this year Shevchenko and Seyboth Wild had no chance against the youngster. However, the 2024 season is not quite going according to the expectations of the world number three, who was able to triumph in Indian Wells, but had to struggle with injury problems in both Rio de Janeiro and Monte Carlo.
15:47
Struff full of self-confidence
After his strong run to the final in Madrid 2023, Jan-Lennard Struff seems to be back to his best just in time for the Masters in the Caja Magica. Last week, the 34-year-old finally celebrated the first ATP title of his career – in Munich he defeated well-known opponents with van de Zandschulp, Auger-Aliassime, Rune and Fritz. The Warsteiner took his self-confidence with him to the Spanish capital, where he was able to prevail against Munar and Humbert quite confidently in two sets. After being ranked 24th in the world rankings. After missing a large part of the second half of last season due to persistent hip problems, he has now impressively found his way back to his old strength.
15:31
New edition of last year’s final
Welcome to the round of 16 of the Mutua Madrid Open between Jan-Lennard Struff and Carlos Alcaraz! It is a new edition of last year’s final, in which the Spaniard won 6:4, 3:6 and 6:3. “Struffi” will be eager for revenge today, it should start shortly after 4 p.m. at the Estadio Manolo Santana. That could easily be delayed because Iga Świątek defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia just a few minutes ago.