Just like Tim van Rijthoven, Botic van de Zandschulp reached the fourth round of Wimbledon on Saturday. The Dutchman dealt with two-time semi-finalist Richard Gasquet: 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (9) and 6-1.
The 26-year-old Van de Zandschulp peaked in the difficult match at the right times against Gasquet and stepped off the track in London after two hours and 41 minutes. De Veenendaler scored no fewer than 58 winners in the entire match.
Van de Zandschulp may be waiting for a place in the quarterfinals with Rafael Nadal. The 22-time Grand Slam winner must first deal with the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, the number 54 in the world. That match is scheduled for early in the evening.
Revelatie Van Rijthoven already joined the last sixteen at Wimbledon on Friday by beating Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili. The native Roosendaler, who won the grass tournament in Rosmalen last month out of nowhere, will play against defending champion and six-time winner Novak Djokovic on Sunday.
It is the first time since 2002 that two Dutchmen are in the fourth round of Wimbledon. Twenty years ago, Sjeng Schalken and Richard Krajicek reached the quarterfinals on the ‘holy grass’. That was also their final station.
Van de Zandschulp is participating in Wimbledon for the second time this year. The world number 25 made it to the main schedule on his debut as a qualifier last year and made it to the second round, where he had to bow his head against the later finalist Matteo Berrettini.
Van de Zandschulp shows resilience again after a difficult start
Just like in his second round match against Emil Ruusuvuori, Van de Zandschulp had a difficult start on track 1 on Saturday. The leader of Dutch tennis did not serve well enough and lost his first service game. He was heading for a set loss, but Gasquet failed to use one of his five set points at 5-3.
Van de Zandschulp took full advantage, the Frenchman broke at 5-5 and won the first set with a love game. Gasquet had a lesser phase at that time, but that did not cost him dearly. The semi-finalist of 2007 and 2015 survived two breakpoints at 1-1 and won the second set by winning two service games against Van de Zandschulp.
In the third set, the two tennis players showed that they were very evenly matched. Gasquet recovered from a quick break and won his service games a little easier than earlier in the game. In the decisive tiebreak, the veteran even led 5-3, but Van de Zandschulp recovered nicely. He won three points in a row and had the longest breath.
With the securing of the fourth set, Gasquet’s resistance was finally broken. The number 69 in the world never came close to a breakpoint and took a love break on 1-2 and 1-4. Van de Zandschulp was supreme, even won nineteen of the last twenty points and can call himself eighth finalist for the first time at Wimbledon.