Shark shades turn finals frustration into German grit
Amid the Nitto ATP Finals' relentless pressure, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz found unexpected release in oversized shark sunglasses, channeling levity into a tense victory that reignited their season's fire.
Under the bright lights of Turin's Pala Alpitour, the indoor hard courts hummed with the Nitto ATP Finals' familiar intensity on November 13, 2025. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, the defending champions from 2024, stepped out for their final group match wearing extravagant shark shades, a bold parody of their opponents' earlier eyewear flair. What seemed like a whimsical entrance masked the duo's deeper need to shake off two prior losses, transforming the evening into a blend of humor and hard-fought resolve.
Playful entrance eases mounting tension
The shades caught the crowd's attention immediately, drawing laughs as the Germans faced Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the Peter Fleming Group decider. Already eliminated from semifinal contention, Krawietz and Puetz embraced the moment's freedom, their walk-on injecting levity into an arena charged with end-of-season stakes. The Italians, secure in their advancement, met the gesture with knowing smiles, setting a lighter tone before the baseline exchanges began.
As play unfolded, the pair's synergy shone through tactical adjustments tailored to the surface's speed. Puetz anchored the net with sharp poaches, while Krawietz unleashed flat backhands down-the-line to exploit openings. The crowd's energy built with each point, the shades' spirit lingering as a subtle psychological edge against the opponents' synchronized volleys.
“I ordered some glasses on Amazon a couple of days ago,” the 37-year-old Puetz explained afterward. “We had the idea, but then we wanted to keep it serious because it is an important tournament. But today we were out, and the Italians were through, so there’s no harm done if we get the sunglasses. Amazon didn’t come through, they didn’t get delivered, so we found a little store last night. It was my wife actually. She kind of knows where those kinds of stores are. So we went there last night. It was the only thing they had, so we went with the sharks. We ordered [ones with] a star originally, but they didn’t get delivered.”
That's how you make an entrance #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/F5JbM92PPF
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 13, 2025
Logistics uncover human side of pros
Behind the spectacle lay a story of improvisation that humanized the pros' world. The original star-themed glasses failed to arrive, forcing a late-night dash to a local shop guided by Puetz's wife—a rare glimpse of everyday life amid ATP travel's chaos. Krawietz lightened the tale with humor, dubbing it a "shark contract" inspired by the Italians' style, which they felt compelled to match.
“It’s a shark contract. We have to wear them. We had to come up with something, because we saw the Italians wearing the sunglasses. So we brought them and it worked out,” he added, his grin reflecting the relief of the moment. This behind-the-scenes scramble echoed their season's hurdles, from injury concerns to adapting across surfaces, yet it fostered a bond that sharpened their focus on court.
Thrilling win signals momentum ahead
The match delivered a 7-6(5), 4-6, 13-11 thriller, showcasing the Germans' resilience on the fast indoor hard. They edged the first-set tiebreak with varied serves—wide slices forcing weak returns—before the Italians countered in the second via deep crosscourt groundstrokes. In the super-tiebreak decider, Puetz's underspin returns neutralized power plays, allowing Krawietz to rush the net and convert poaches into winners.
The crowd's roars peaked as the duo closed out the 1-2 group finish, restoring confidence dimmed by earlier defeats. Though no semifinal berth followed, the victory hinted at untapped potential, especially with Germany's Davis Cup Final 8 roster calling next week. Krawietz tied the shades to their perfect record in them, suggesting the quirky talisman could carry forward into team battles where every adjustment counts.
“We have to wear them all the time now so that we win,” he acknowledged. “We’ve never lost while wearing them.” As the finals wrapped, this blend of fun and fight positioned the pair for redemption, turning a logistical fluke into lasting competitive fuel on any stage.
