The 2025 Wimbledon Championships delivered a third-round spectacle on Centre Court, where German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff pushed two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to the brink in a thrilling four-set battle. Despite a valiant effort, Struff fell 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and his post-match reflections were tinged with regret over missed opportunities. The 35-year-old, ranked No. 125, earned £114,000 (approximately $156,750) for reaching the third round, a testament to Wimbledon’s increased prize pool of £53.5 million, up 8.2% from 2024. Yet, for Struff, the financial reward paled in comparison to the chance to topple one of tennis’s brightest stars.
Struff entered the match as a heavy underdog, facing a daunting 3-1 head-to-head deficit against Alcaraz, including a five-set loss at Wimbledon in 2022. The German, known for his booming serve and aggressive net play, had already defied expectations by ousting No. 25 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in a four-set second-round upset. Against Alcaraz, Struff’s game plan was clear: unleash powerful serves—some clocking 139 mph—and approach the net to disrupt the Spaniard’s rhythm. The first set, however, was a masterclass from Alcaraz, who broke Struff twice to claim it 6-1 in a mere 25 minutes. Struff’s early discomfort was evident, as he later admitted: “I didn’t feel comfortable in the early stages of the match, but I had the ability to react.”
The second set saw Struff transform into a formidable force. Dialing up the intensity, he hammered forehands and second serves with reckless abandon, catching Alcaraz off guard. His bold tactics paid off, securing a break at 5-3 to level the match at 6-3. Struff’s net approaches, totaling 54 by match’s end, kept Alcaraz on edge, forcing the Spaniard to conjure stunning drop volleys and lobs. The Centre Court crowd, sensing an upset, roared as Struff’s aggressive play turned the tide. “It was stressful,” Alcaraz confessed post-match. “He kept pushing me. I was suffering in every service game I did today.”
The third set tilted back in Alcaraz’s favor. Struff’s precision waned, and a critical break handed the set to the No. 2 seed, 6-3. The fourth set was a tense affair, with both players trading blows in tightly contested service games. At 4-4, Struff’s chance to force a decider slipped away when he misfired a forehand volley into the net at a crucial moment. “The fourth set was really balanced, and I missed it by a little,” Struff lamented. “I would have liked to take it to the fifth set, but I missed that chance.” Alcaraz capitalized, breaking in the ninth game and sealing the victory with an ace, advancing to face Andrey Rublev in the fourth round.
Struff’s performance was a career highlight, marking his fourth third-round appearance at Wimbledon. Despite a challenging 2025 season with a 5-15 record before the tournament, his grass-court prowess shone through. His 10 aces and relentless net play troubled Alcaraz, who praised his opponent: “I knew it was going to be really difficult. His game suits pretty well to the grass. Big serves, approaching the net as much as he can.” For Struff, the match was a bittersweet milestone. “Now Alcaraz – geil!” he had exclaimed after his Auger-Aliassime win, thrilled at the prospect of Centre Court. Yet, the sting of regret lingered, knowing a fifth set might have changed his Wimbledon story.
The match underscored Wimbledon 2025’s unpredictable nature, with top seeds like Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev falling early. Alcaraz, with a 21-match win streak, remains a favorite, but Struff’s fearless display served as a reminder that even giants can wobble on grass. As Struff exits with £114,000 and renewed confidence, his performance will be remembered as a bold stand against a tennis titan.
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