Jannik Sinner's (ATP 1) mission to defend his title at the 32nd TERRA WORTMANN OPEN begins on Tuesday. And on Centre Court, he will then face Yannick Hanfmann (ATP 138) in the first round (not before 3.30 pm), an opponent he has already faced once before on grass - at the 2024 Wimbledon tournament. Back then, the 33-year-old from Karlsruhe put in a brave, courageous performance in the opening round, even taking a set off the number 1 player in an honourable 3:6, 4:6, 6:3, 3:6 defeat. "Jannik naturally does everything well, his movement, his forehand and backhand, his service are simply really strong. It's difficult to find the right strategy," said Hanfmann.
At the TERRA WORTMANN OPEN in Halle-Westphalia, the German qualifier will now face a more established tennis frontman who has built up massive self-confidence across all tour surfaces - including on grass. ‘I proved to myself in 2024 how well I can perform on the grass courts,’ says Sinner. In Wimbledon in the previous season, he was narrowly eliminated in five sets against Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals.
However, the triumph in Halle remains unforgettable and has a place of honour in his trophy gallery: ‘When you've just become number 1 and then win a tournament like in Halle, it's extraordinary.’ There was a second duel between Sinner and Hanfmann, but it was much more one-sided at the US Open 2023 - with a 6:3, 6:1, 6:1 victory for the 23-year-old South Tyrolean. "Against Jannik, you have to try to be active yourself. Be courageous, go on the offensive," says Hanfmann.
Local hero Jan-Lennard Struff (ATP 103) is determined to reach the second round on the second day of the tournament in the last Centre Court match against Italian Lorenzo Sonego (ATP 46) so that he can then play his friend Alexander Zverev (ATP 3) if possible. Zverev, Struff's potential opponent in the round of 16, will not start the 32nd edition of the ATP 500 grass court classic until Wednesday against the American Marcos Giron (ATP 43). Sonego won the only comparison on a tennis green so far at the Stuttgart ATP competition. Struff won the other direct duel two years ago at the ATP Masters in Madrid.
Andrej Rublev (ATP 14), the No. 4 seed at the TERRA WORTMANN OPEN 2025, will face Austrian Sebastian Ofner (ATP 122) in a thrilling first round duel in the OWL Arena, starting at 11.30 am. Ofner had dashed the hopes of 17-year-old Justin Engel from Nuremberg for a place in the main draw in the last qualifying round. Also in action on Tuesday is Ugo Humbert (ATP 20), the 2021 tournament winner, who will face Canadian left-hander Denis Shapovalov (ATP 31) in an open duel.
