HALLE, WESTPHALIA/STARNBERG, June 17, 2025
With the poise and composure of a defending champion, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner opened his campaign at the 32nd TERRA WORTMANN OPEN with a solid straight-sets victory over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. In a high-quality encounter lasting 90 minutes, the Italian prevailed 7–5, 6–3.
Despite the scoreline, Sinner was quick to praise his opponent after the match. “He showed today that he can play really, really well on grass,” Sinner said. “It was all 50-50. The only games where he made a few mistakes were the ones where I managed to break him.”
There were only two such moments in the match—and Sinner made both count. He broke Hanfmann at 6–5 in the first set and again at 4–2 in the second. That proved decisive, as Hanfmann was unable to convert either of his two break chances.
Signed, sealed, delivered ✉️@janniksin defeats Hanfmann 7-5 6-3 to get his Halle title defence underway#TWO25 pic.twitter.com/63FaVrYfqc
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 17, 2025
Fully aware of how quickly fortunes can shift on grass, Sinner reflected on the win with caution and looked ahead to a challenging second-round match against big-serving Alexander Bublik. “There are no easy matches here,” he noted. “Let’s see how things go.”
The day ended in disappointment for local favorite Jan-Lennard Struff. The 35-year-old German, competing on a wildcard, suffered a 3–6, 2–6 defeat to Lorenzo Sonego. Struff struggled to recover from an early break in the first set and was unable to mount a comeback. It marked his eighth first-round exit in twelve appearances at his home tournament in Halle.
“My best friends and family were here today, which doesn’t happen often with all the traveling we do. That made this match extra special for me,” said Struff. “But the early break took the wind out of my sails. I’ve been working hard, but the results just aren’t there. This loss feels too one-sided.”
Another early exit came for Ugo Humbert, the 2021 Halle champion. The Frenchman fell in a tightly contested match to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, who edged out a 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(4) win in the battle of heavy-hitting left-handers. Shapovalov, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2021, now advances to face Flavio Cobolli in the second round. The Italian reached the next stage with a hard-fought three-set victory over Joao Fonseca.
