German tennis star Alexander Zverev expressed great enthusiasm for the promising development of young talent Justin Engel. “He is playing very, very well, very aggressively. It’s nice to see,” said Zverev at the ATP grass tournament in Stuttgart, where the 17-year-old Engel has surprisingly reached the quarterfinals. Zverev emphasized the importance of this development during a crucial age, stating, “I believe he is continuing to evolve.”
Engel made headlines on Thursday by achieving a straight-set victory against the 35th-ranked player in the world, Alex Michelsen from the USA. Zverev remarked that the young player from Nuremberg is “on a good path.” In Stuttgart, Zverev has also advanced to the quarterfinals and will face American Brandon Nakashima on Friday at 15:00 CET, while Engel will compete beforehand (11:00 CET) against fourth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Engel has made history as the youngest quarterfinalist in the tournament and the youngest player to reach a grass court quarterfinal since Boris Becker in Wimbledon 1985. The young player takes inspiration from Zverev’s game, particularly admiring his serves. “What I definitely watch from him are his serves,” Engel shared, adding that he occasionally talks with Zverev in the locker room. Despite being dubbed as the greatest talent in German tennis, Engel remains grounded, stating, “I just do my thing, want to have fun on the court, and bring what I practiced with Philipp (Kohlschreiber) to the match.”
Engel’s determination and Zverev’s support highlight a promising future for German tennis, showcasing the importance of mentorship and inspiration in the sport.