Fils and Struff advance to Brussels semifinals
Arthur Fils won his first match in Brussels, beating Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-6 (12) to reach the semifinals. Jan-Lennard Struff, 36, defeated Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-6 (6), ending Belgian hopes in the singles draw. Fils will face Struff for a place in the final.
Fils, 22 and ranked 10th, is top-seeded at an ATP event for the first time. He arrived Sunday but first played Friday, after a bye and Jaume Munar’s walkover. He led 5-4 in the second set, was broken, then won the tiebreak 14-12.
Struff, 36 years and five months, is the second-oldest semifinalist in European Open history; Roberto Bautista Agut was slightly older when he won in 2024. Struff is also the second German to reach this stage, following Maximilian Marterer in 2023.
The results may give Belgian tennis fans a bittersweet moment, as local interest in the singles draw ends just after Goffin’s retirement. Fils’s run could strengthen his profile and boost attention for indoor hard-court events, while Struff’s late-career success may resonate with older athletes and fans. The semifinal could draw more viewers and support for the Brussels tournament, though its broader social effect is likely modest and mostly confined to tennis audiences.