Fighter type like Nadal: 17-year-old Engel wins first ATP match

Justin Engel has left his first footprints in the tennis circuit at ATP level. In Almaty, Kazakhstan, the young Bavarian talent became the youngest winner of a tour match since Carlos Alcaraz in 2020. “I love playing here, that’s why I won,” said the 458th in the world rankings after the 7:5, 6:4 first round victory against Coleman Wong from Hong Kong (ATP-133rd).

After the game, the 17-year-old from Middle Franconia spread his arms and couldn’t believe it himself. “It’s unbelievable. Winning an ATP match at 17 is the best feeling I can imagine. I have no words,” said the up-and-coming tennis talent from Nuremberg, who is increasingly causing a stir.

Role model Nadal: “How he pushes himself, how he fights”

On his sporting path, Engel takes the big tennis stars as role models. “I admire Rafael Nadal, the way he presents himself on the court, the way he pushes himself, the way he fights,” said the right-hander in a recent DTB interview: “I can identify with that. I’m also the type of fighter on the pitch and do everything I can to win.

However, he could learn something from Novak Djokovic, the Grand Slam record winner, when it comes to nutrition. And: “I would like to train with Djokovic to see what the pace is like and what it is like to play points against him.”

Get a feel for the elite

In Almaty, Engel, who is allowed to take part with a wildcard, will now get a feel for how strong the elite are. His next opponent in the round of 16 is Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina, ranked 31st in the world. The fourth position is set.

Engel, who is one of the greatest talents in German tennis, had already won four International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior tournaments this year. He also caused a stir at the end of September by reaching the quarterfinals at the ATP Challenger tournament in Villena, Spain.