ATP: Struff declares launch in Saudi Arabia
Jan-Lennard Struff joins the invitational Diriyah Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia and tells tennis magazine why he's competing in a non-ATP World Ranking tournament in the middle of the off-season.
by Robert M. Frank
last edit: Dec 06, 2019, 10:59 pm
Instead of on Tenerife, where Jan-Lennard Struff (ATP 35) had spent the winter with Dominic Thiem in the winter training camp, this time in the cold season, "Struffi" is in the sun of the desert spectacle in Riyadh. The Warsteiner will compete in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Tennis Cup, which will kick off on 12 December, with an exclusive field of competitors and high prizes. Struff is already on site after completing his vacation with his family in South Africa. Why the 29-year-old has selected the first-time tournament in the middle of the off-season in Saudi Arabia, he recently told tennismagazin.com . "I'll have first-rate training partners here - I do not get that anywhere else," said Struff, who promised "top-level matches".
Another reason, in addition to the good preparation for the 2020 season, the high prize money, which is distributed in the desert tournament on the outskirts of the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. A million dollars beckons the winner, a retirement in the first round still means $ 125,000. "It's also financially worthwhile for me," Struff said frankly.
No political concerns
He was aware of the explosive nature of the human rights issues which crop up again and again in the hosting country of the invitation tournament. He would have long debated about a participation in his coaching team and weighed. Struff does not consider himself endangered as an athlete for a political purpose. "I do not see myself as a puppet," contradicts Struff. "I think that sport sends a positive message and that it can initiate a development in the right direction," says German number two.
In addition to Struff, who then spends Christmas at home, and then set off towards Australia at the end of the year, another seven players are starting in Saudi Arabia. These include Stan Wawrinka, Daniil Medvedev, Fabio Fognini, David Goffin, Lucas Pouille, Gael Monfils and John Isner.