A third straight comeback in Brussels
Tallon Griekspoor lost the opening set in each of his last three matches in Brussels and still won all of them. On Sunday evening he completed the pattern once more, defeating Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the ATP 250 event, according to Tennis Majors and the ATP Tour.[S1][S3]
The run of reversals began in the quarterfinals, where Griekspoor dropped the first set to second seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic before prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. In the semifinals he again fell behind, and trailed 3-5 in the deciding set, before overcoming third seed Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).[S1]
His earlier matches that week were also tight. Griekspoor got past German wildcard Max Schoenhaus 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 7-5, and then defeated eighth seed Mariano Navone of Argentina 7-6 (4), 7-5.[S1]
A fourth title and a Dutch milestone
The Brussels trophy is the fourth of Griekspoor's career and his first since Mallorca in June of last year. It is only his second on hard courts, following his 2023 triumph in Pune.[S1]
The 30-year-old, ranked No. 60, becomes only the sixth Dutchman in the Open Era to claim at least four tour-level titles, a list that also includes Tom Okker, Richard Krajicek, Sjeng Schalken, Jacco Eltingh and Jan Siemerink. He is also the first Dutch player to win a tour-level title indoors since Martin Verkerk in Milan in 2003.[S1]
Before Brussels, Griekspoor had reached just one other final this season, in Dubai in February, where he did not play and handed Daniil Medvedev a walkover. The victory also extends his head-to-head advantage over Struff to 4-0.[S1]
Struff falls short as both men climb
Struff, ranked No. 58, was bidding to become the second-oldest champion of the season at 36 years and 6 months, a mark bettered only by Novak Djokovic in Beijing. The Brussels final was his first on hard courts and his first of any kind since he won his only title in Munich in 2024.[S1]
Both finalists leave Brussels back inside the top 50. Griekspoor rises to No. 50 on Monday and Struff to No. 47, a shift that pushes Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina and Canada's Denis Shapovalov out of the top 50.[S1]
