The Dutchman – placed in a grand slam tournament for the first time – took a break in the first set, then lost it again, but at 4-3 he broke Kotov again: 5-3. He then broke up on his serve: 6-3 in the first set.
But a break was enough for the tough qualifier Kotov to win the second set: 6-3. BvdZ then got breakpoints at the start of the third set and that didn’t work immediately. Later he did, as he led 3-1. But a service later he handed it in again, to the anger of Van de Zandschulp himself.
But again he straightened and broke the Russian’s serve: 4-2. A love game followed: 5-2. A few times Kotov tried to surprise his opponent with an underhand service, but each time failed. When Van de Zandschulp served for the set, he suddenly had a hard time again and therefore encountered breakpoints. But he managed to get rid of it well. In the end, it still took some time to win the set, but again the boards were 6-3.
The Dutchman thundered through in set four and immediately broke the Russian again. A love game followed: 2-0. With a 3-2 lead, there were again breakpoints for the Dutchman, but he was unable to use them at first. A little later. Van de Zandschulp then walked further out to 5-2 and went on to serve for the game. And that worked: game, set and match†
View the match point here†
Source: discovery +
Last year, Van de Zandschulp also reached the second round in Paris, then as a qualifier.
Response BvdZ
Van de Zandschulp is not looking too far ahead after his first round victory at Roland Garros. In the third round, thirteen-time champion Rafael Nadal may be his opponent.
“It would be nice if it could eventually be the case, but first I have a tough task ahead of me on Wednesday against Fabio Fognini,” said Van de Zandschulp after the victory over Russian Pavel Kotov. Later in the day, Fognini defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin in three sets.
„When I was a bit lower in the ranking, I always thought Fognini was a nice player. It is unbelievable how much talent he has, but it is also questionable what his cap is like. I think he can do anything. He has very good groundstrokes, a lot of feeling, only he serves maybe a little less. There may be opportunities there.”
Van de Zandschulp had a hard time against qualifier Kotov for three sets, but he finished convincingly in the fourth set. “I thought he started very well and gave almost no presents and served strongly. I didn’t really know what to expect and it took a bit of searching. I also experienced perhaps a little more pressure than at previous grand slams, because I am now seeded. But luckily I took my chances in the third and fourth set.”
With Kotov, Van de Zandschulp met a player who is flying under the neutral flag because of the war in Ukraine, but the Dutchman did not want that. “I play against an opponent and I don’t care what flag he has behind his name,” said the number 29 in the world. “I didn’t look at it any other way.”
Van de Zandschulp and Greek track meet Koolhof in doubles
In the first round of the Roland Garros doubles tournament, Van de Zandschulp and Tallon groenpoor will face Wesley Koolhof. The Dutch doubles specialist forms a couple with Briton Neal Skupski.
Van de Zandschulp (26) and groenpoor (25) form a couple for the first time at a grand slam tournament.
The 33-year-old Koolhof is placed sixth with Skupski. The duo has already won four titles this year.
Tennis star Russian late in action at Roland Garros on Monday
Arantxa Rus will play at Roland Garros late on Monday. The best tennis player in the Netherlands, the number 78 in the world, will compete in the first round against the 16th-seeded Kazakh Elena Rybakina.
The 31-year-old Russian plays the fourth match on court 13, after two matches from the men’s tournament and one match from the women’s schedule. The first games start at 11 a.m.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will both play on Monday at the Court Philippe Chatrier, the main court at Roland Garros. Nadal will face Australian Jordan Thompson, Djokovic will face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
Iga Swiatek, placed first in the women’s tournament, also makes her appearance on the center court. The Polish favorite will face the Ukrainian Lesja Tsurenko in the first match, which starts at 12 noon.