Swiss hopeful Dominic Stricker kicked off his EFG Swiss Open Gstaad campaign with a hard-fought win over Pierre-Hugues Herbert this Monday evening, rallying from a set down to take the match 4–6, 6–4, 6–2. Playing in front of a supportive home crowd, the 22-year-old admitted to feeling the pressure early on: “I was a little nervous going on court today, but the crowd really helped me.”

As his confidence grew, so did his dominance, blending heavy groundstrokes with clever shot selection to seal the win in just over two hours. Today's win was the first ATP victory since October 2024. The result now sets up a much-anticipated second-round clash with two-time Gstaad champion Casper Ruud, a matchup Stricker had hoped for. “It’s a big challenge, but also a great opportunity,” he said.

We met Stricker yesterday before a training.

I’m Super Motivated to Play at Home
Dominic Stricker on Gstaad, Ruud, and What’s Next

How are you feeling, Dom?
Very good, thanks! I was already up here last week and came back again yesterday. It’s always a pleasure to return to Gstaad.

You’ve been on the rise since Wimbledon – how did things go after that?
Wimbledon really surprised me, to be honest. I hadn’t played much on grass before, but I was able to train well for two weeks after. That definitely helped my current form.

You came back to Switzerland to train – who’s supporting you now?
My Swiss Tennis coach is on holiday this week. Severin Lüthi was up here the last few days, watching. My family and girlfriend are also with me right now.

(c) Breakpoint Images - EFG Swiss Open Gstaad 2025

Your first-round opponent is Pierre-Hugues Herbert. How do you rate your chances?
He’s a great player—strong in doubles, great at the net. We know each other well and have trained together a lot. I think if I play my game, like last week, I’ll have chances.

And in round two, you might face Casper Ruud...
Yes, that would be a real highlight. I'm super motivated already, playing at home in front of the Swiss crowd. I’ve beaten him before on hard court. Of course, it would be different on clay here, but still very exciting. But first things first—the opening match won’t be easy.

What does this home tournament in Gstaad mean to you?
A lot. I love being here. It’s close to home, many friends come to watch, and there’s a good vibe. Sure, there’s pressure—but it’s positive pressure.

Still enjoying tennis as much as ever?
Absolutely! It’s such a joy, especially when I’m winning. That makes it even more fun.

Goals for the rest of the season?
I want to maintain my current ranking and qualify for Australia. I’ve still got Basel and Stockholm coming up later in the year.

You had to pull out of a few matches in spring due to injury. What happened?
It was different this time—not the same back issue I had before, which was a relief. Still not perfect, but I was pain-free again in Wimbledon, which is huge.

Were you close to making it into the Wimbledon main draw?
Yes, I was one of the last to get into the qualies—15th on the lucky loser list. It was close.

What’s coming after Gstaad?
I’ll play in Zug—great to have two tournaments in Switzerland. Then I’ll take a week off with my girlfriend. If I make the US Open main draw, I’ll go there; if not, I’ll play Challenger tournaments in Europe—preferably on clay.

Your favourite surface?
Grass is definitely my favourite. But I play well on hard and clay too. It just requires some adaptation. The altitude and speed of the clay here in Gstaad suit me well.

You signed up for doubles—was that spontaneous?
Yes! Kubi (Jakub Paul) and I decided on short notice. We already played together in Geneva. It’s fun—we’re a good team and excited to see how it goes.

Another spontaneous doubles entry was Stan and Henry Bernet.
Yeah, I'm really excited to see how that's going. It’s similar to what I experienced 2 years ago, and it'll be a really cool experience for him. And exciting to see how far they will go.

You seem fitter than ever—is that accurate?
Yes, I really feel good physically. It’s going in the right direction.

What’s your plan after the summer? You’ve got points to defend...
Exactly. Especially at the Challenger level. I’ll plan my schedule based on where I get into draws—the US or Europe.

Jeanette Wichmann

Jeanette Wchmann