Botic van de Zandschulp failed to beat top 10 player Casper Ruud again. In the second round of the masters tournament in Rome, the best tennis player in the Netherlands lost 6-7 (4) 6-2 6-4 to the Norwegian number 10 in the world.
The match in the Grand Stand Arena lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. Ruud finished it off with a love game and used his first game point with a dropout from Van de Zandschulp, who hit a backhand outside the lines.
The 26-year-old Van de Zandschulp had already beaten Ruud twice; last month at the ATP tournament in Munich and last year at the US Open, where the Dutchman had his breakthrough.
The Dutchman started the game well again and he immediately broke Ruud in the opening game, despite a 40-0 lead for the Scandinavian. Van de Zandschulp’s level dropped halfway through the second set, but in the tiebreak he recovered well with some good services and aggressive play.
In the second set, Ruud was leading 4-0 in no time and the grumbling Dutchman decided to focus on the third set. He was broken at 1-1 and Ruud did not give away his lead.
Van de Zandschulp, the number 32 in the world, is now preparing for Roland Garros. He won’t be playing next week.
Earlier in the day, qualifier Tallon groenpoor lost in the first round to Argentinian Sebastián Báez.
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