Tiafoe claims maiden grass court title, moves into top 10

Frances Tiafoe claimed his first grass court title on Sunday, saving a match point to defeat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the Stuttgart final.
The American came through 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (10/8) and will move into the world top 10 for the first time today, joining eighth-ranked compatriot Taylor Fritz among the elite.
The last time the United States boasted two men in the top 10 at the same time was in July 2011 courtesy of Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick.
Tiafoe withstood 28 aces from Struff who was bidding to become the first home champion since Michael Stich in 1991.
The 25-year-old Tiafoe saved the championship point at 6/7 in the third-set tie-break on his way to securing his second title of 2023 after Houston in April and third of his career.
He made a successful diving lunge on his third match point, just getting the ball over the net for victory after two hours, 12 minutes on court.
“I had to give it all on the match point,” he said. “I hit an overhead but he got to it. I had to dive and got super-lucky. I was really happy to win.”
Tiafoe will have little time for celebration with a flight to London to catch in time for next week’s start at the Queen’s Club Wimbledon tune-up tournament.
Struff, 33 and ranked 24th, kept a sellout crowd at the Weissenhof club enthralled as he delivered 28 aces but still missed out on the first title of his career.
He was a semi-finalist in 2019. The last German to reach a Stuttgart final was Philipp Kohlschreiber, who lost in 2016 to Dominic Thiem.
“It was an incredible match,” said Tiafoe, who was playing his seventh career final.
“I didn’t break him for two hours, ‘Struffie’ was serving well today.
He added: “It was just super-tough. On that match point, I don’t know how I got the ball over the net, but I’ll take it.
“It’s good to walk away with the title.”
Murray bags second straight
grass court title, Boulter wins
all-British showdown
Andy Murray ramped up his Wimbledon preparations by beating Arthur Cazaux in the Nottingham Open final yesterday to lift a second straight grass court title while fellow Briton Katie Boulter beat compatriot Jodie Burrage in the women’s final.
The three-time Grand Slam champion put in a clinical performance to win 6-4 6-4, converting three of his four break points against the Frenchman to claim the Challenger Tour title.
The 36-year-old Murray did not drop a set across his five matches in the tournament and improved his winning streak on grass to 10 matches after his victory in Surbiton last week.
“It was a really good week, I really enjoyed my time here. The courts have played brilliantly, the groundstaff did an excellent job,” Murray said. “I played really well and got better as the week went on and I’m glad to get through - on to Queen’s. I’m absolutely pumped.”
The 36-year-old Briton, who has resurrected his career after hip resurfacing surgery, skipped the French Open to focus on the grass court swing.
He is next in action at the Queen’s Club Championships, which start today.
Boulter needed an hour and 13 minutes to claim a dominant 6-3 6-3 victory in the first all-British WTA final since 1977.
The triumph also ensures that the 26-year-old retains her status as the British number one.
“I dreamed of this moment, to win this tournament, as a little girl when I was four years old,” said Boulter, whose title victory was her first on the WTA Tour.
“Having come here as a fan and now as a player and somehow found a way to win it means more than everything to me.
“I’ve played so many British players, we appreciate an all-British final and what an incredible achievement it is,” she added.
The last time two British women featured in a WTA Tour final was when Sue Barker played Virginia Wade in San Francisco in February 1977.
Meanwhile Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, 26, yesterday scripted a comeback win to beat Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 in the final of Libema Open.
It was Griekspoo’s second career title. Both title wins have come in 2023.
He becomes the first Dutch since 2003 to win multiple titles in a season.