Team shake-up, Challenger success serves as springboard for Yannick Hanfmann

For Yannick Hanfmann, the late summer of 2025 marked the beginning of a new chapter. After several steady seasons competing on the ATP Tour, the 33-year-old German has made a few deliberate changes, both to his team and his training structure, in search of renewed consistency and the elusive first tour-level title.

His win at the Platzmann Open ATP Challenger in Hagen, Germany in early August symbolized more than another trophy. It was his first success with a new coaching setup, led by Petar Popovic, a highly experienced coach who has worked with players such as Andrea Petkovic and Ivo Karlovic.

And with four wins at the Rolex Shanghai Masters—three in qualifying and another over Frances Tiafoe before falling to Novak Djokovic—things appear to be progressing nicely.

New team

“I had originally planned to go through the grass season just with a fitness coach,” Hanfmann explained. “Then the opportunity with Petar came up. We already knew each other from before. He has a lot of experience. After one phone call, we met spontaneously in Stuttgart, and it clicked right away.”

The partnership began shortly after Roland Garros, when Hanfmann ended his collaboration with his previous coach, Juan Pablo Brzezicki. The early signs have been encouraging. Hanfmann has since shown sharper match instincts, improved structure in key rallies, and a renewed sense of calm in pressure situations—qualities that have long defined his best performances.

“Of course, I’ve been playing more on the Tour level in recent years,” he said. “I still hope to win a title there as well. But it’s obviously very nice to win a Challenger in Germany.”

A flexible base and a global routine

Unlike many players who operate from one central training base, Hanfmann’s routine is far more mobile. Based mainly in Antwerp, he still spends time in Karlsruhe, his hometown, but describes his lifestyle as one of constant motion.

“I live in Antwerp and still spend some time in Karlsruhe, but most of the time I’m on the road,” he said. “As a tennis player, it’s hard to really be at home anywhere.”

That adaptability seems to suit him. Training sessions often happen around tournaments, where he can fine-tune details with Popovic and his fitness coach. Earlier this year, he also spent a week in Munich for focused clay-court preparation—a reminder that, even without a fixed base, his work remains highly structured.

Antwerp, a comfortable home abroad

Hanfmann’s decision to settle in Belgium wasn’t purely logistical. The port city of Antwerp has become a genuine home away from home. His Belgian girlfriend and the city’s easy access to Europe’s major tournaments make it a natural fit.

It also gave an extra layer of meaning to his recent run at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels, where he came through qualifying to reach the second round, falling to Lorenzo Musetti. Competing so close to home, in front of familiar faces, added a sense of belonging to an already balanced phase in his career.

Grounded and driven

Hanfmann’s story has always carried depth beyond the results. Born in Karlsruhe, he has lived with a hearing impairment in both ears, a challenge he’s managed since childhood with remarkable poise. That quiet resilience has shaped not only his approach to tennis but also his character—calm, analytical, and self-aware.

A former standout at the University of Southern California, where he helped the Trojans win two NCAA national titles, Hanfmann remains one of the few players to make a successful transition from U.S. college tennis to the ATP Circuit. His versatility across surfaces and thoughtful style of play are hallmarks of that background.

Off the court, Hanfmann’s interests reflect his athletic spirit. He supports Karlsruher SC, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Green Bay Packers. A passionate basketball fan, he often jokes that if he weren’t a tennis player, he’d love to take part in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Looking forward

At 33, Hanfmann finds himself in a balanced and purposeful stage of his career. His new collaboration with Popovic, the flexible setup that allows him to train and compete around the world, and a stable personal life in Antwerp all point to a player who is still evolving, not rebuilding.

“Winning at home always means a lot,” he said after Hagen. “It gives me confidence - and the belief that there’s still more to come.”