Germans Altmaier, Struff become first lucky loser duo to make same Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Madrid

FLASHBACK: Catching up with Struff in Monte Carlo

Bust out the spätzle and schnitzel and pour a pint of beer. For the first time in ATP history, two lucky losers—Germans Daniel Altmaier and Jan-Lennard Struff—have advanced to the quarterfinals of the same Masters 1000 tournament thanks to their Mutua Madrid Open victories Tuesday.

Altmaier emerged as the big winner from a wide-open quarter that saw Casper Ruud and Lorenzo Musetti knocked out in their initial matches. The world No. 92, who lost to Jurij Rodionov in the final-round of qualifying, has not dropped a set since entering the main draw.

The 24-year-old eliminated countrymen Oscar Otte and Yannick Hanfmann before posting his most comprehensive victory of the tournament. Altmaier brushed aside home hopeful Jaume Munar, 6-3, 6-0, saving all four break points he faced with a stellar 12 for 15 success rate on his second serve.

The Kempen native came into the Spanish capital with just one win in nine tour-level matches this year, but now has a chance to contest his biggest semifinal to date following final-four runs at 250-level events in Umag and Kitzbuhel during the 2021 season. Growing up idolizing the shot-making of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, Altmaier plays with a one-handed backhand and is no stranger to red clay, having reached the round of 16 at 2020 Roland Garros as a qualifier.

In late-evening action, Jan-Lennard Struff joined his compatriot in making the most of a second chance at the Caja Magica. Having battled back from a set down in his past two victories over Ben Shelton and incoming Banka Luja champion Dusan Lajovic, Struff overcame Pedro Cachin of Argentina, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (7), 6-3. The German right-hander saved a set point in the opener, missed a match point in the second-set 'breaker and broke twice late in their decider to survive another topsy-turvy battle.

Since the creation of the Masters 1000 series launched in 1990, only 15 lucky losers had progressed to a quarterfinal before Altmaier and Struff joined the rare group. Just two players—Thomas Johanasson at 2004 Toronto and Lucas Pouille at 2016 Rome—went on to turn their good fortunes into semifinal showings.

Struff has backed up his recent last-eight effort in Monte Carlo, where his run was ended by eventual title winner Andrey Rublev. In his previous 40 appearances as a main-draw competitor on the 1000 stage, the former world No. 29 is yet to get through to a semifinal.

His loss as the top Madrid qualifying seed doesn’t look so bleak now, as the man he fell to—Aslan Karatsev—has surged back into the big-stage conversation with a notable Madrid performance of his own. The 2021 Australian Open semifinalist took out his third main-draw seed of the event, ousting second-seeded Daniil Medvedev, 7-6 (1), 6-4, in securing his first 1000-level quarterfinal appearance.

Beginning the tournament ranked No. 121, the three-time ATP titlist will vault back inside the Top 100 next week—and can near a Top 50 return if he makes the final four.