US Open: German duo Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz lose final

Defeat in the final at the US Open
German duo misses out on big tennis coup

07.09.2024, 20:42

“Lots of fun” and “something very special”: The tennis doubles Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz are playing in the final of the US Open for the first time. However, their opponents secured victory. But the Germans have no time to get upset anyway.

A brief smile crossed Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz’s faces as they stood with the silver plate of the US Open finalists. They had not managed to pull off the big, historic coup in the doubles final in New York. Nevertheless, the disappointment was quickly mixed with a touch of pride. “We enjoyed playing at Arthur Ashe for the first time,” said Krawietz, and Pütz added: “It was a great atmosphere.” The mighty winner’s trophy was lifted by the Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, who the Franconian-Hessian duo lost to 4:6, 6:7 (4:7).

This means that no German team has triumphed in the Big Apple in the Open Era since 1968. Only Philipp Petzschner from Bayreuth was able to celebrate in 2011 alongside the Austrian Jürgen Melzer. Krawietz/Pütz, who reached the quarterfinals at the Olympics in Paris, were unable to take advantage of their first chance to triumph at a major in their second year together. For Krawietz, it remains with his two French Open victories in 2019 and 2020 alongside the Cologne-based Andreas Mies. Pütz, who has a mixed title from Paris, is still waiting for a double coup at a major. Both together remain a prize of 375,000 US dollars.

Nervous start for the Germans

The German duo cannot remain frustrated for too long. After the end of the big event in the US metropolis, “KraPütz” will head straight to Zhuhai, China, where Michael Kohlmann’s German Davis Cup team will be fighting for a place in the final round in Malaga next week.

Krawietz already knows the final feeling from his successful time with Cologne’s Mies, from whom he parted ways in favor of Pütz at the end of 2022. Five years ago, the “KraMies” caused a stir on the red clay of Paris when they became the first German doubles team to win a major after Gottfried von Cramm and Henner Henkel, who died in Paris in 1937 and triumphed at the US Open.

That was the big goal from the beginning of the partnership with Pütz. In 2023, she reached her first semi-final at Wimbledon, but it took another year before she fought her way to the big opportunity in New York with strong nerves.

Against Purcell/Thompson, Krawietz and Pütz had to be on their guard from the start, as the Australians attacked. Above all, they had to avoid the forehand of Thompson, who is ranked 32nd in the singles world rankings. This did not always work and the German doubles conceded the first break on serve, making it 2:3, which they were unable to catch up.

The second set was also close, and Krawietz/Pütz lost their serve again, making it 2:3. They fought courageously, fended off match points with nerves of steel when the score was 3:5, and actually came back once more. But in the end, all they could do was go to the net in disappointment.