Justin Engel: German teenager hopes home Hamburg triumph leads to bigger and better things

It was Justin Engel’s week. The 18-year-old from Nuremberg thrilled the crowd at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup, playing with courage, passion, and remarkable composure to win over the fans–and ultimately secure his first career title on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Already a crowd favorite in the earlier rounds, the excitement reached its peak in the final against fellow 18-year-old Federico Cina of Italy. The stands were packed to the brim as the German rising star marked the next major milestone in his young career.

Youngest Challenger final in more than 20 years

The final–the youngest Challenger title match since 2003, when Mario Ančić faced Rafael Nadal, also in Hamburg–did not start as Engel had hoped. He dropped his opening service game and struggled to find answers on return until trailing 3–4. But then came the turnaround. With impressive mental strength, Engel fought back, earned set points at 5–4, and soon sealed the first set.

The second set was a showcase of high-quality tennis between two promising youngsters. Both players held serve convincingly, leading to the inevitable tiebreak. There, Engel once again showed why he is already known for his nerves of steel. After winning six tiebreaks earlier in the tournament, he claimed his seventh–and with it, the title.

“It was just incredible,” said the teenager shortly after capturing his maiden Challenger crown. “Thanks to the fans, you were unbelievable.”

Following his earlier victory over Jan-Lennard Struff at the ATP 500 event at Hamburg’s Rothenbaum, Engel added a heartfelt confession: “Hamburg has become my favorite city.”

Engel’s perfect tiebreak record

One of the standout statistics of Engel’s tournament run was his flawless tiebreak record. “I often had a good start, and at times, luck was on my side as well,” said Engel, who at just 18 years and 25 days became the fifth-youngest German Challenger champion in history.

Hamburg holds a special place in Engel’s career. Three years ago, he lifted his first ITF junior title on the very same venue at the Hamburg Tennis Association.

“I feel very comfortable here,” the Franconian admitted.

Following the biggest success of his young career, Engel is already setting his sights on what comes next.

He’s extremely disciplined, has clear goals, and possesses a strong will to win on court. The potential is definitely there. Former world No. 14 Carl-Uwe Steeb

“That’s been on my mind since the match against Struff in Hamburg. My goal is to qualify for the NextGen Finals and to finish the season inside the Top 200,” he said.

The triumph at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup, he believes, is another crucial step in that direction.

“I’ve played many good matches and reached two Challenger semifinals, but consistency was often missing," he added.

Steeb steps in as coach

In Hamburg, Engel was accompanied by his manager and former professional Carl-Uwe Steeb, who also took on the role of coach for the week. The former world No. 14 and three-time Davis Cup champion was full of praise for his young protégé.

“He started working professionally with his father very early on," he said. "You can see that, and it’s the foundation for how far he’s already come. He’s extremely disciplined, has clear goals, and possesses a strong will to win on court. The potential is definitely there. The road ahead is still long, but with every match he gains experience and maturity. There are still many things to improve in his game to reach the very top, but overall, he’s on a very good path.”

For Steeb, the week in Hamburg was also a unique experience. “The role of coach this week was unusual for me. I can still hit balls, but when real training starts, it gets too fast and isn’t ideal for my body anymore. I’d rather stand on the sidelines and leave it to the players.”

That said, the 58-year-old still keeps active: “I try to stay fit. My tennis isn’t getting any better," he said with a laugh. "I play a lot of padel tennis and do sports in general.”