ATP Tour
Will Struff make eighth time the charm against Djokovic at the US Open?
German looks back at his history with the former World No. 1
August 31, 2025
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Jan-Lennard Struff has climbed as high as No. 21 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
By Andrew Eichenholz
Jan-Lennard Struff vividly remembers the first time he met Novak Djokovic. It was 2009 and the German was still a teen, serving as a hitting partner in Halle, where the Serbian competed for the only time in his career.
“It was raining and we played soccer indoors. His coach back then, I think Marian Vajda, he scored the last-minute goal and they were going nuts. It was incredible,” Struff recalled Friday after reaching the fourth round of the US Open. “I was on the other team unfortunately. I don’t know about that. But it was fun, I was… just a hitting partner there at the tournament.”
Struff and Djokovic have since met seven times in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and on Sunday, they will clash for the eighth time. The German will try to secure his first victory against the 24-time major champion in the fourth round of the US Open.
The 38-year-old Djokovic and the 35-year-old Struff are still competing deep into the world’s biggest tournaments long after their football match in Halle.
“It’s just fantastic how good he’s playing,” Struff said of Djokovic, who beat him in the third round of the 2020 US Open and has won 17 of the 18 sets they have played. “He shows us all that you can play long tennis and very, very good tennis at his age and it’s just incredible.”
While Djokovic has largely remained at the very top of the ATP Tour throughout his career, Struff has gone through more ups and downs. Competing in his 10th US Open main draw, the German is No. 144 in the PIF ATP Rankings and has needed to win six matches, including qualifying, to reach the fourth round in New York for the first time.
Struff nearly did not earn his place in the main draw at all. He trailed former World No. 58 Taro Daniel by a set and a break in the second round of qualifying and then needed to oust top seed Arthur Cazaux in the final round of qualifying.
“In qualifying, it was tough. The rain saved me a little bit against Taro Daniel,” Struff said. “I’ve built a bit of momentum now.”
Having started the season as World No. 42, it has not been an easy 2025 for Struff. He arrived in New York with a 9-18 tour-level record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, but has been focused on staying calm and working hard to rediscover his top level.
That has paid off at the US Open, where he ousted 11th seed Holger Rune in five sets and then defeated home favourite Frances Tiafoe, the 17th seed, in straight sets in front of a partisan crowd.
“Obviously he’s a hell of a player. He’s been highly ranked,” Tiafoe said. “He played well today. Served pretty well. His percentage wasn’t so high, but he served pretty well, especially early in games. So it was kind of tough to get my feet in games.”
Struff admitted he would not have expected this run, saying “for sure not”. But he is back in the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Live Rankings at No. 98 and ready to try to make his first Slam quarter-final.
“I know I can play good tennis,” Struff said. “And I know I can beat a lot of good guys.”