Botic van de Zandschulp surprising victory in Paris

This article was last updated on November 1, 2023

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Van de Zandschulp matches fellow Dutch player’s success at Masters tournament in Paris

Dutch tennis player Botic van de Zandschulp has made it to the third round of the Masters tournament in Paris, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Tallon Griekspoor. In an unexpected turn of events, the 28-year-old Van de Zandschulp defeated his higher-ranked American opponent Tommy Paul in a thrilling three-set match on Wednesday, with a final score of 6-4, 2-6, and 6-3.

An Impressive Start for Van de Zandschulp

Ranked at No. 60 in the ATP rankings, Van de Zandschulp started the match strongly and managed to secure the first set against the world No. 12, Tommy Paul. The Dutch player showed great resilience, saving three break points and seizing his opponent’s last service game.

A Comeback by Paul

However, Paul made an impressive comeback in the second set, breaking Van de Zandschulp’s serve twice. The third set saw both players evenly matched, with neither giving an inch. But it was Van de Zandschulp who gained the advantage at a crucial moment, breaking Paul’s serve at 3-2. From there, he held on to his lead and secured the victory.

Lights, Camera, Qualify

Van de Zandschulp had to go through the qualifying rounds to secure his place in the main draw of the tournament in Paris. He demonstrated his skills and determination by winning two matches in the qualifiers. In the first round of the main draw, he recorded an impressive victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino, who is ranked No. 25 in the ATP rankings.

Next Challenge: Andrey Rublev

In the third round, Van de Zandschulp will face Russia’s Andrey Rublev. Rublev, ranked No. 5 in the world, emerged victorious in his second round match against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka. It will be a tough challenge for Van de Zandschulp, but he has already shown that he is capable of causing upsets.

Following in Griekspoor’s Footsteps

Van de Zandschulp is not the only Dutch player enjoying success at the Masters tournament in Paris. Fellow countryman Tallon Griekspoor has also made it to the third round with impressive victories over Christopher Eubanks and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Griekspoor could potentially face the world No. 1, Novak Djokovic, in the next round, depending on the outcome of Djokovic’s match against Tomás Martín Etcheverry.