Veteran Jan-Lennard Struff stuns Karen Khachanov in Almaty

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Struff Upsets Khachanov in Almaty Open Thriller

German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff delivered one of the season’s biggest upsets Thursday at the Almaty Open, outlasting top seed Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a grueling second-round battle in Kazakhstan.

The 35-year-old, ranked No. 98 in the world, recovered from an early break and showed his trademark aggression down the stretch. After seizing a 4-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker, Struff forced a decider and carried his momentum forward — breaking Khachanov in the opening game of the third and closing the match on his fourth match point.

Struff struck 43 winners against only 16 unforced errors, while Khachanov narrowly edged him in total points (108-107) over two hours and 21 minutes. The German’s serve-and-volley precision proved decisive, earning him a place in the quarterfinals and reigniting a late-career surge.

Elsewhere in Almaty:

  • No. 2 Daniil Medvedev (Russia) held off Adam Walton (Australia) 7-5, 7-6 (0).
  • Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki stunned No. 4 Luciano Darderi (Italy) 6-3, 6-3.
  • American Alex Michelsen swept Aleksandar Vukic (Australia) 6-3, 6-2 in just an hour.

For those tracking ATP form and performance metrics, detailed player stats and betting data are featured on Sportshub’s Tennis Picks and Tennis Odds pages.

Rune Rolls, Ymer Advances at Nordic Open

Top seed Holger Rune of Denmark advanced smoothly at the Nordic Open in Stockholm, dispatching Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Rune controlled both sets with early breaks and showcased sharp baseline consistency, converting two of three break points while saving eight of nine on his own serve. Despite Fucsovics’ nine chances to break, Rune’s clutch serving and steady defense made the difference.

Fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert (France) joined him in the next round after eliminating Matteo Berrettini (Italy) 7-6 (5), 6-3. Also advancing were Lorenzo Sonego (Italy), Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Argentina), and Sweden’s Elias Ymer, who thrilled his home crowd with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jacob Fearnley (Great Britain).

Ymer, ranked No. 243, now faces No. 3 seed Denis Shapovalov (Canada) in what should be one of Friday’s most anticipated quarterfinals.
For bettors analyzing upcoming matches, the Nordic swing provides valuable insights into indoor hard-court performance—key trends covered in Sportshub’s Expert Tennis Betting Guide.

Auger-Aliassime Survives Dzumhur Marathon at Fortis European Open

Canadian No. 2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime continued his hot streak with a narrow 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday at the Fortis European Open in Brussels.

The three-hour, back-and-forth battle saw Auger-Aliassime fend off three match points at 5-4 in the third set before sealing the win in the deciding tiebreaker. The Canadian relied on his power game, cracking 13 aces and keeping his composure in key moments to move into the quarterfinals.

He’ll face American Eliot Spizzirri, who cruised past Botic Van De Zandschulp (Netherlands) 7-5, 6-0 in a one-sided affair.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti (Italy) edged Yannick Hanfmann (Germany) 7-6 (3), 7-5, while France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard advanced after Nikoloz Basilashvili retired following a 7-5 opening set.

Auger-Aliassime’s resilience and Musetti’s precision set up an intriguing finish to the week’s European action. Fans can track line movement and live analysis through Sportshub’s Tennis Odds section for updated tournament coverage.

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John Walsh
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