Interview with Jan-Lennard Struff: "I really wanted a Tommy Haas cap"

Jan-Lennard Struff has accepted an invitation to the tournament in Saudi Arabia and is preparing for the new season with the Diriyah Tennis Cup. He said in advance of his appearance at the controversial event . In an interview with tennisnet , the 29-year-old talks about the mental health of tennis professionals and his double plans for 2020.

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He also analyzes his biggest tick, explains what made Tommy Haas caps so perfect and describes why cleaning women had to secretly help him break into his school.

tennisnet : Mr. Struff, I have to be a little uncomfortable right from the start. You have to tell me your biggest tick.

Jan-Lennard Struff : Gladly.

tennisnet : You turn the racket in your hand - even in the middle of the rally. That's crazy.

Struff : If someone speaks to me about it, it's awesome. I don't think about it at all. There should be up to three turns between hits.

tennisnet : Turn your racquet briefly just before the serve.

Struff : I only reach for it, but I don't turn the bat. Or is it? I actually don't know. Can be.

tennisnet : I have ticks myself. Most of them are a copy of friends with me. I wonder: Has anyone turned the racket like this before your eyes?

Struff : No. (Thinks for a long time) Well, maybe yes. My father used to train me. He did that every now and then, but definitely not as extreme. It has been anchored in my game for a long time. I couldn't remember a player who would have done it that way.

tennisnet : A comprehensive tennisnet video analysis shows that you do not spin after the service. did you know that?

Struff : I probably don't have the time. Good observation, thanks! I have to discuss this with my trainers (laughs).

tennisnet : Another hallmark is your cap, which is always deep in the neck on the court, as it is now during our interview.

Struff : I used to admire Tommy Haas, I even adored him. He always wore the cap upside down. But what he had ahead of me: his caps were completely closed, had no hole on the back. I thought it was so cool, I can't say otherwise. Such caps were nowhere to be found, there were no internet shops yet. I really wanted to have one.

# # IMG2

tennisnet : Even today your caps have holes, you wear them in every match.

Struff : I have to play with a cap, otherwise I feel naked. I touch them before every point, that's part of my ritual. So a headband that I tried for a while wouldn't work either.

# # Img3

tennisnet : For matches by Tommy Haas and Co., you should have got up at night as a small child to see the Australian Open, for example.

Struff : That's right, mostly with my mother. When it was time for an exciting match, we got up at five, grabbed the blanket and something for breakfast, and lay down on the couch. I remember exactly: the school started at 7.40 a.m., so I was able to watch until exactly 7.20 a.m.

tennisnet : A fight for every minute?

Struff : Sometimes I was late. The entrance to my school's sports hall was mostly closed, but I knew the others would take ages to move. The cleaning lady let me in when she heard me knocking. I crept through the door and joined the group that was warming up. I don't know if the teachers noticed that exactly.

tennisnet : Was your mother going through television early in the morning?

Struff : Yeah, why not? For that I go to bed earlier in the evening. It was already clear that the Abitur had top priority. First, the homework had to be done. It didn't matter what happened afterwards. Tennis was the big passion, I always wanted to be a professional.

tennisnet : You are said to enjoy team competitions. There are currently three of them in the ATP calendar. Question to tennis fan Struff: Where would your Davis Cup, Laver Cup and ATP Cup be in your personal ranking?

Struff : I found the Laver Cup very attractive, even though I haven't fully understood the exact rules regarding the line-ups for the matches to this day. It looked really cool. But it's not enough for first place.

tennisnet : but?

Struff : The new Davis Cup was pretty good, although I didn't like a few things . Above all, a different appointment is needed. I would immediately choose number one for the old-style Davis Cup. Best-of-five, home or away games - that was a dream. Maybe we experience such a mood at the ATP Cup when we play against Australia.

Jan-Lennard Struff: "Tennis demands mental toughness"

tennisnet : Do you sometimes feel lonely on the tour apart from the team competitions?

Struff : Sure. For this I have my team with me, with whom I can do something. There are also a few colleagues with whom you can have dinner in the evening. I use my cell phone to make video calls to my girlfriend when I miss her and our son. Nevertheless, professional tennis player is my dream job. I feel privileged that I can and can exercise it.

tennisnet : So you make sure that you get on well with your coaching team privately?

Struff : The relationship is primarily a business one. But I get on very well with both of them.

tennisnet : You hired a physiotherapist at an early stage to accompany you on the tour when your ranking was not so good. So you invest a lot of time and money in physical fitness. Do you also invest in your mental health?

Struff : It is a topic that is rarely addressed because it is interpreted as weakness when you get mental help. I don't agree with that at all. I talk a lot with Carsten (Arriens, Struffs Trainer, Note) about such topics. He is a very good contact person for this. We talk about my focus and commitment to sport. Tennis demands a certain mental toughness. To make everything out completely with yourself would be the wrong way. It is absolutely important to train your head too. I also read a lot of books.

tennisnet : Can you tell us a book tip?

Struff : Some books, such as Glückskinder by Hermann Scherer. He is a speaker who deals with mentality and dedication.

Struff: "The feeling of missing something is much too big for me"

tennisnet : Does the Viennese word sausage tell you anything?

Struff : Not immediately.

tennisnet : It means that some things don't matter to you. Every tennis professional needs this skill to avoid getting ready for defeats, right?

Struff : I could definitely be ripped off a bit. We are all human. Some defeats hit me after all. It is difficult to put this feeling aside. But I agree with you that it is essential to filter results somewhat.

tennisnet : One factor that could help you with this is your family. For the first time as a father you are contesting a season preparation. Do you feel additional motivation through the birth of your son in training?

Struff : I definitely feel additional fatigue (laughs). Apart from less sleep, I kind of play for my boy now. It's a very interesting feeling. The joy of flying home after tournaments is huge. That's why I'm looking forward to the two weeks at home before I travel to Australia. I try to see my family as often as possible. You will come across Europe at isolated tournaments.

tennisnet : You have a family holiday in South Africa behind you. Are you a nature lover?

Struff : I find everything that lies by the sea fascinating - even if I rarely go swimming in it. In South Africa it was too cold for that. It is important to me to experience something on vacation. After two or three days I can no longer sit quietly. The feeling of missing something is far too big for me. I think I have to go to South Africa again. There's just too much to do there.

tennisnet : By nature, Saudi Arabia doesn't have that much to offer.

Struff : There are deserts.

tennisnet : Right. And roads with up to seven lanes. Even car racing has taken place on it. You once said in an interview that you like to drive fast. So would that be something for you?

Struff : I've never been to a racetrack. Somehow the respect for it is too great. I have never karted. In my private life I'm a guy who likes to get to my destination as quickly as possible. I like that Germany is the only country without a speed limit on the motorway. But don't get it wrong: it still has to stay safe. When the family is in the car, I drive much more relaxed.

tennisnet : In your free time before the invitation tournament in Diriyah, you did not go hiking or driving, but paid a visit to the German embassy in Riyadh. What did you talk to the employees about?

Struff : It was a very relaxed lap at a great level. We wanted to know what it was like to live here. Again, you asked some questions about tennis life. It was a very open exchange and was fun.

tennisnet : I would also like to ask you about your tennis life. It is the best year of your career so far. During the 2019 season, you always mentioned the preparation for Tenerife with the then Thiem coach Günter Bresnik as the trigger for the success. You will not be training there this year. It's a shame, isn't it?

Struff : It's a good thing that I got a few matches in Saudi Arabia. Tenerife was outstanding. It was the best preparation I've ever had: 22 degrees, no wind, always sun.

tennisnet : Was there an opportunity to train with Bresnik again this time?

Struff : We briefly considered going to Miami with Domi. But that was not an option for me. Bresnik was there with Ernests Gulbis and Jerzy Janowicz, among others, in Tenerife, but already in early December. I was still on vacation after the Davis Cup. We considered flying to Tenerife with three other players. The risk of someone injuring themselves and then having to train in groups of three spoke against it. So the plan was to do the preparation in Monte Carlo. Then the offer came from Saudi Arabia.

tennisnet : You are still waiting for your first ATP title. If you had a wish, which tournament should the button open?

Struff : I would of course take the biggest one, for me it's Wimbledon. A victory in Germany would also have something, preferably in Halle. But that is always brutally well manned. This year I finally managed to win a round (after nine defeats in a row, note) .. That was pure relief.

tennisnet : You have already won three tournaments in doubles. What are your plans for the 2020 double?

Struff : I play with Henri Kontinen. I was very happy about the request because he is an excellent double player. I think that can only be good for me. At first it was unclear whether I should leave the focus like this. In the past, it was a bit much with single and double matches at the same tournament.

tennisnet : How far has tournament planning progressed?

Struff : We're just starting in Melbourne. This may not be ideal, but there is no other way. Rotterdam, Indian Wells and Miami are scheduled. In between, it makes little sense with our Davis Cup appearances. We are planning for the entire season, but we have to wait and see how it goes.

Jan-Lennard Struff: tournament wins in doubles