Philosophy & perseverance: Christoph Negritu's recipe for success

At 31, Christoph Negritu is playing the best tennis of his life. The German, born in Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria, has reached new personal milestones this year, climbing to a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 273 and World No. 115 in doubles. His recent form is no coincidence. It's the result of years of consistency, grit, and a rare blend of sporting passion and intellectual curiosity.

“The focus is on both,” Negritu said during the BRAWO Open in Braunschweig. “In the past, I was more focused on doubles because I had the better ranking there. But the plan was always to never fully drop singles.”

Strong doubles team, rising success in singles

Indeed, Negritu has seen his most tangible success in doubles in recent years. Alongside Peruvian partner Alexander Merino, he has captured four ATP Challenger titles, including two in 2025, on the Canary Island of Tenerife and in Barletta, Italy. Their partnership is built on far more than just solid results.

“What makes us strong is our mental stability,” Negritu explained.

We don’t give up easily and we always give everything. We’ve played together for a long time, and that builds a strong bond. Alexander supports me in singles, watches my matches, and then we play doubles together. That unites us and really helps in the tough moments, when you feel you’re playing not just with but for each other.

Their story began in 2015, when the two met playing ITF Futures tournaments in Tunisia. At first, they lost early together, but their chemistry grew over time. After dealing with injuries and occasionally going separate ways on tour, they’ve been back as a full-time team for two years, now “inseparable,” as Negritu puts it.

Their recent surge has also been built on grinding through smaller events. “Our ranking dropped a bit for a while,” Negritu admitted, “but in 2024 we fought our way back up through the Futures. Our tennis kept improving, and then it clicked at the Challenger level in singles as well. I even made the final in Japan.”

Japan holds a special place in Negritu’s heart. A devoted fan of manga and Japanese baseball icon Shohei Ohtani, he’s long been drawn to the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun.

“It’s crazy that with my job I can live out dreams like traveling to Japan,” he said with sparkling eyes. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Academics as a backup plan

But there’s more to Negritu than just tennis. Off court, he’s intellectually engaged and culturally curious. He studied philosophy at the University of Tübingen while continuing to pursue his tennis career.

After turning pro, it was a good balance to have something outside tennis. I was interested in philosophy, but the main focus always remained tennis. It had to be Plan A so that I could give 110 percent at every tournament.

His linguistic versatility also sets him apart on tour. Fluent in German, English, French, Romanian, and now increasingly Spanish, Negritu credits Merino for helping him expand his language skills.

“Alexander helped me a lot, and I also taught myself. I can understand conversations pretty well now. Speaking is still a bit hard, but it's getting better day by day, and I’d definitely survive in Spain,” he said with a smile.

Born with a racket in his hand

Negritu’s tennis journey started early, inspired by his mother, a former first-division player in Nuremberg. “I hit my first balls when I was two years old,” he recalled. “I played my first tournaments at five. But my parents never pressured me. I just enjoyed it.”

Now based in Rutesheim, Negritu has been training at the TWA Academy in Stuttgart since late 2023, something he considers a turning point.

“Since I started training there, things have been going really well,” he laughed. “The guys must be doing something right. It was important for me to find a base where I could train and feel comfortable.”

And the future?

“When I was 12, I said I wanted to win Wimbledon,” he chuckled. “I guess we missed that one by a bit. But of course, I still want to play the big tournaments and compete at GrandSlams, in both singles and doubles. I try to stay relaxed about it, not be too intense. I just want to keep enjoying tennis.”