Rarely has anyone been so sober in front of the camera after winning an ATP Tour. Tim van Rijthoven could barely realize what he had accomplished on Sunday afternoon. He won the Libéma Open as number 205 in the world rankings. His performance still had to land afterwards.
Very relaxed, Tim van Rijthoven finishes the camera crews on Sunday afternoon after his tournament win. “This is quite new to me. But of course it’s part of it. It means I did something right.”
This week is a roller coaster for 25-year-old Roosendaler. He cannot believe it himself and still doubts whether he is not dreaming. “I pinched my arm a few times today. I don’t really know what happened.”
“If he continues to play this game, he will be in the top ten in three months”
Where he used to struggle mentally, he is now very mature. “I have nothing to lose. Certainly not in a final against the upcoming number one in the world.”
Daniil Medvedev, his opponent in the final, was also full of praise for the Brabant tennis player afterwards. “If he continues to play this game, he will be in the top ten in three months.”
The tennis that Van Rijthoven showed in the second set was of phenomenal class. “After I broke it twice in the second set, the first realization came that I could win the final. I just had to keep my service game one last time”, Van Rijthoven analyzed the match.
“It tastes like more”
The tennis player himself does not know what the future will bring. Wimbledon is just around the corner in two weeks. Normally, Van Rijthoven must first play a qualification, but there are rumors that he will receive a wildcard from the organization. This would allow him to immediately participate in the main tournament. The Roosendaler himself said that it looked good, but he couldn’t say more about it.
He has previously indicated that he does not want to be a one-hit wonder and he emphasized that again on Sunday. “It remains top sport so you never know what can happen. But I want to get even more prizes now. It tastes like more. This is the best day of my life.”
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Tim van Rijthoven completes fairy tale with sensational win from Libéma Open