Will Struffi also make life difficult for Djoker?
Following a weak season in which he slipped out of the top 100 in the ATP world rankings, Jan-Lennard Struff had to start in qualifying at the 2025 US Open. Not only did he reach the main draw, but he also eliminated two seeded players, Holger Rune (ATP 11) and local hero Frances Tiafoe (ATP 17), and is now in the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for only the third time in his career. If the tip for Jan-Lennard Struff to beat Novak Djokovic also comes true, it would be the next big sensation.
However, Struffi trails Djoker 0-7 in head-to-head matches and has only taken one set in seven encounters against the former world number one, who reached the round of 16 of a Grand Slam for the 69th time with his 3-1 victory over Cameron Norrie, equaling Roger Federer’s previous record. Nevertheless, the Serb seemed to be on the ropes, requiring treatment on his foot in the opening match and most recently on his back in the third round. At 38, he is simply no longer the youngest, which should give his German challenger a chance. It is therefore very interesting to bet on a match that will not be decided in straight sets.
Whether the 35-year-old German can really cause a sensation and, as a qualifier of all people, reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career remains to be seen. What is clear, in any case, is that Struffi will return to the top 100 regardless of how things continue at Flushing Meadows thanks to his three victories in the main draw. And that, in turn, should at least spare him the unpleasant qualifying matches in the Grand Slam tournaments in 2026.
It is not uninteresting to place a handicap of +2.5 sets on the German in Novak Djokovic vs. Jan-Lennard Struff at odds of 1.72 at NEO.bet. That would include any upset as well as a 3-2 or 3-1 victory for Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic – Jan-Lennard Struff Head-to-head record
Head to head: 7:0
The two athletes have already faced each other seven times, and in all seven cases, Novak Djokovic triumphed in the end, losing only one set to Jan-Lennard Struff in those seven matches. The Warstein native took that set from the record Grand Slam winner at a hard court Grand Slam, of all places, namely in the first round of the 2020 Australian Open, which he lost 1-3. Now the two players are meeting again for the first time since November 2021.
Novak Djokovic – Jan-Lennard Struff Tip
On paper, the prediction for Novak Djokovic against Jan-Lennard Struff must of course be a victory for the Serb, who is now the sole record holder in this category with 192 singles wins at the two hard court Grand Slam tournaments and has equaled another Federer record with his 69th Grand Slam round of 16 appearance. However, Djoker has already had several niggles during the tournament, limping in his opening match due to a blister on his toe and recently having to receive treatment on his back. Although he leads Struffi 7-0 in head-to-head matches, the Warstein native’s chances have probably never been better than they are now.
Novak Djokovic is still Novak Djokovic, which is why we would advise against betting on Jan-Lennard Struff to actually win this round of 16 match. After all, writing off the Serb because of his age or declining physical condition could still prove costly. Nevertheless, we believe the German is capable of entangling the former world number one in a match that will not be decided in three straight sets.
We therefore recommend betting on over 3.5 sets, for which Novak Djokovic vs. Jan-Lennard Struff betting odds of 1.86 are listed at VBET.
