Justin Engel is 17 years old and the number 347 of the world rankings, so it is still rather far behind. But if journalists want to contact the tennis professional, it is recently advisable to go through Engel’s media consultant. This is Stefan Hempel, sports commentator at Sky, a nice, tennis -savvy person. If there are sponsors who want to contact angels, it is advisable to contact the former Davis Cup player Carl-Uwe Steeb. The ex-professional is back in the tennis shop and for Sportfive. The agency, who also takes care of Alexander Zverev and Boris Becker, has signed Engel. At the BMW Open in Munich, which started on Monday, Engel received a wildcard, a starting place for the main field, not a matter of course. But tournament director Patrik Kühnen says what it is: “Justin is Germany’s most hopeful tennis talent.” And as this, the Franke from Nuremberg already experiences a different appreciation.
Engel first drew attention to himself in 2024. In Almaty he won an ATP match since the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 2020 since the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in 2020. He actually wanted to take part in the qualification for a Challenger in Italy when a wildcard for the 250s tournament in Kazakhstan was offered. Shortly afterwards he defeated Coleman Wong from Hong Kong. Even if he then failed at the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, his name whizzed through the industry. The fact that the German men’s tennis is not blessed with a crowd of young people can also be seen from how very angels have been showered with praise since his success in Almaty. The hopes rest on him.
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In some media he is the “super talent” and “in the footsteps of Boris Becker”. Becker raved, of course, also from Engel. Philipp Kohlschreiber, who is now training angels, said that his job was one of the “most exciting tasks in Germany – maybe at the moment even worldwide”. Kohlschreiber was the number 16 in the world, experienced all tennis stages and trained many times with Roger Federer. But the 41-year-old is also impressed by Engel, who was a good kickboxer as a boy.
Tournament director Kühnen warns to be patient: “Give the young time! This is a tough way.”
Kühnen also awarded the Wildcard to angels because you always support good young players in Munich, as he emphasizes. At 16, Zverev received a starting place at the tournament at MTTC Iphitos. So began his career. “He is a boy who has great ambitions,” says Kühnen about angel, but also warns: “Give the boy! This is a tough way.” As Kühnen explains, an demanding task is to take the euphoria with him, which surrounds him like a cotton bouquet. But he shouldn’t be blinded. What he has achieved so far is nothing compared to the goals he is. He wants to become number one in the world rankings. And Grand Slam winner. “I really train a lot and hard,” says Justin Engel in a short conversation with the SZ on Monday. “If I invest so much, I don’t just want to be number 20 in the world.” In Germany, Engel often practices in the tennis base in Oberhaching, the DTB federal base and performance center of the Bavarian tennis association. He wants to move to Monte-Carlo at the end of the year.
Kohlschreiber In any case, Kohlschreiber dares to advance to the top of the world. “Justin has an incredible will. He has his great dreams. He does everything for that,” he says. Then he smiles. “Sometimes you almost have to brake it.” He was a lot of fun shaping angels. “He is still a raw diamond in many facets. From his power he plays men’s tennis. Now it is about tactically doing him on the pitch in a crash course.” Father Horst, who remains further Justin’s coach and alternates with Kohlschreiber, was even an excellent player, as a senior he became European champion. As a coach, he led the former German player Anca Barna to the 46th world ranking place. “The great advantage of Justin is that he got an adult mindset early,” says Horst Engel. “Because of the many tournament trips, he was a lot with adults.”
On Tuesday, Engel meets Fabian Marozsan, 25, the Hungarian is 77th of the world rankings. “I am really looking forward to the match and feel positive nervousness,” says Justin Engel, who, with Max Hans Rehberg, 21, is also in the double main field after two victories. “These successes will do him good, he is fully integrated in the tournament,” believes Kühnen. “It also has to be thrown into the cold water.” This moment has come.