Krawietz and Puetz ready to defend in Turin

Under the sharpening chill of late October, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz clinched their spot back at the Nitto ATP Finals, the arena’s familiar hum already stirring memories of triumph. Their 2025 season unfolded as a testament to quiet resolve, weaving through diverse surfaces to build a case for redemption from November 9 to 16. As defending champions, they carry the weight of that Inalpi Arena debut, where synchronized volleys and tactical poaches turned the tide in their favor.

Season’s grind forges deeper resolve

The pair’s consistency propelled them as the sixth team to qualify, aligning alongside Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, as well as Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in Turin. Early finals in Adelaide and Munich tested their adaptability, with clay’s slower bounces demanding layered underspin slices to counter aggressive returns, while hard-court transitions honed their one–two serve-volley patterns. These close calls, rather than derailing, sharpened their focus, turning extended rallies into opportunities for inside-out forehands that pulled opponents wide.

Semi-final appearances at the Australian Open, Madrid, and Toronto amplified the psychological layers, each deep run echoing the fine margins of doubles play. Krawietz drew on his prior Nitto ATP Finals experience—twice partnering with Andreas Mies and once with Horia Tecau—to guide Puetz through pressure-packed tiebreaks, their net approaches growing more instinctive with every match. This steady accumulation of points across Masters events built a foundation free of the tour’s typical volatility, positioning them to face Turin’s quicker indoor conditions with refined precision.

Breakthrough wins shape tactical edge

Victory in Halle on grass marked their first major lift of the year, where crosscourt lobs and down-the-line passes dissected foes under the sun-dappled stands, the crowd’s energy fueling their aggressive poaching. Shanghai’s hard courts brought another trophy, as Puetz’s flat returns set up Krawietz for inside-in winners, their chemistry evident in seamless switches that disrupted baseline grinders. These highs weren’t isolated; they infused the season with momentum, transforming defensive lobs into offensive weapons that echoed through subsequent draws.

Turin awaits with familiar intensity

Returning as defenders feels like re-entering a charged arena, the Pala Alpitour’s lights and echoes ready to quicken their pulses once more. Against a field blending lefty-righty synergies and grass-court flair, the Germans plan to exploit surface speed with varied serves—wide slices pulling returners off-balance—mirroring patterns that succeeded in past semis. Puetz’s growing poise complements Krawietz’s seasoned instincts, their shared history poised to channel season-long tension into a bid for back-to-back glory, where every adjustment could tip the scales in the round-robin fray.