ATP Stuttgart: top talent knitter after defeating Hurkacz in the quarterfinals
Dominic Stephan Stricker has moved into the quarter-finals of the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Stuttgart. The 18-year-old Swiss defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7: 6 (5) and 7: 6 (5).
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 10, 2021, 01:25 pm
From Jens Huiber from Stuttgart
It's not as if Edwin Weindorfer doesn't have enough to do in Stuttgart these days. The tournament director of the MercedesCup has to play with the guests of honor as well as the local authorities, and one or the other athlete request is brought directly to Weindorfer. However, when Dominic Stephan Stricker picks up the bat, Weindorfer also takes the time to watch the young Swiss at work. That was the case in the first round on Wednesday against Radu Albot. And also on Thursday in the match against Hubert Hurkacz, the tournament director took a seat next to Tommy Haas in the stands. And again he saw a teenager win, as he did against Albot two times in the tie-break.
Now, Radu Albot's play system may not be the right one for the faster lawn. Hurkacz, on the other hand, already champion at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami this year, likes to keep the balls flat and straight. Actually the ideal recipe for playing on grass. Stricker, on the other hand, takes more spin with the forehand. No disadvantage on Thursday in the first match on the center court at TC Weißenhof, as it should turn out. There Stricker won his third and fourth tiebreak in a row and was allowed to play against Sam Querrey in the quarterfinals. So a man who defeated Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2016.
Already trained with Federer
Stricker, currently number 335 in the world rankings, had already become conspicuous at the clay court tournament in Geneva a few weeks ago. There he defeated Marin Cilic and Marton Fucsovics, but lost, like his great compatriot Roger Federer , to Pablo Andujar. Stricker has already trained with Federer; comparisons with the maestro are of course impossible.
After all, Dominic Stephan Stricker can already hold the title of Grand Slam Champion. Last year he triumphed in the final of the junior competition at the French Open against Leandro Riedi, another talented Swiss. Edwin Weindorfer probably became aware of Stricker by then at the latest. The youngster justified the wildcard that Stricker received from the organizers in Stuttgart with his success against Hubert Hurkacz, number two in the tournament.
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