Struff beats top seed Fils to reach European Open final in Brussels

Struff comes through a three-set semi-final

Jan-Lennard Struff, ranked 58th by the ATP, reached the final of the European Open in Brussels by beating top seed Arthur Fils 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-5) on Saturday, 24 October. The match lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes on the centre court at Palais 5 of Brussels Expo. The 36-year-old German had already knocked out Zizou Bergs (ATP 41) in the quarter-finals, and he took the opening set after breaking in the third game. Fils, the 22-year-old top seed ranked 10th, levelled by winning the second set on a 9-7 tiebreak after Struff had saved three set points. In the decider Fils broke at 4-4 and served for the match, but Struff broke back at 5-5 and won the tiebreak 7-5 on his first match point. Afterwards Struff said the win meant a lot to him.

“That was an incredible match, I am very happy.”

Griekspoor fights back against Cerúndolo

In the other semi-final, Tallon Griekspoor, the world number 60, beat Francisco Cerúndolo (ATP 21) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Saturday, 24 October. The 30-year-old Dutchman lost the first set but took the second after breaking Cerúndolo at 4-3. In the decider Cerúndolo served for the match, yet a double fault and two break points against him kept Griekspoor in the contest. Griekspoor held his nerve in the tiebreak, while Cerúndolo, 28 and from Buenos Aires, put a shot into the net at 4-4 and lost it. Griekspoor had struggled earlier this season, reaching the Dubai final in late February before withdrawing because he was not fit enough. His new Swedish coach, Thomas Högstedt, had not yet produced much results before Brussels, and Griekspoor's best recent result before this week was a round of 16 finish in Montreal.

Sunday final and Struff's first hard-court final

Struff and Griekspoor will meet in the final on Sunday, 25 October, for a prize fund of 723,435 euros. It is Struff's fifth ATP final and his first on a hard court. His only ATP singles title so far came at the BMW Open in Munich in 2024. Struff has never beaten Griekspoor in three previous meetings. Griekspoor is going for a fourth title and has previously won in Pune, Rosmalen and Mallorca. Struff said reaching a final is always something special.

“It is always something special to play a final.”