Tiafoe claims maiden grass court title and moves into high 10

Frances Tiafoe claimed his first grass court title on Sunday, saving a match point to defeat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff within the Stuttgart final.

The American got here by 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (10/8) and can transfer into the realm high 10 for the fundamental time on Monday, becoming a member of eighth-ranked compatriot Taylor Fritz amongst the elite.

The closing time the United States boasted two males within the high 10 on the same time was as soon as in July 2011 courtesy of Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick.

Tiafoe withstood 28 aces from Struff who was as soon as bidding to develop into the fundamental dwelling champion since Michael Stich in 1991.

The 25-year-faded Tiafoe saved the championship point at 6/7 within the third-living tie-destroy on his technique to securing his second title of 2023 after Houston in April and third of his profession.

He made a a success diving lunge on his third match point, appropriate getting the ball over the accumulate for victory after two hours, 12 minutes on court.

“I needed to provide all of it on the match point,” he said. “I hit an overhead but he purchased to it. I needed to dive and acquired tall-lucky. I was as soon as certainly tickled to derive.”

Tiafoe would possibly well perchance believe cramped time for celebration with a flight to London to salvage in time for subsequent week’s open on the Queen’s Club Wimbledon tune-up match.

Struff, 33 and ranked Twenty fourth, kept a sellout crowd on the Weissenhof club enthralled as he delivered 28 aces but silent passed over out on the fundamental title of his profession.

He was as soon as a semi-finalist in 2019. The closing German to reach a Stuttgart final was as soon as Philipp Kohlschreiber, who misplaced in 2016 to Dominic Thiem.

“It was as soon as an out of the ordinary match,” said Tiafoe, who was as soon as taking half in his seventh profession final.

“I didn’t destroy him for 2 hours, ‘Struffie’ was as soon as serving smartly this day.

He added: “It was as soon as appropriate tall-tricky. On that match point, I originate now no longer know how I purchased the ball over the accumulate, but I am going to steal it.

“Or now no longer it is staunch to lope away with the title.”

str/dj