By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, November 22, 2024
"We always felt like this was possible. So to do it now feels unbelievable," Tallon Griekspoor said after clinching The Netherlands first trip to the Davis Cup final.
Photo credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty
Botic Van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor stared down vulnerability and emerged victorious.
The Dutch singles standouts led The Netherlands to the promised land—it’s first Davis Cup final in history.
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Griekspoor pumped his 25th ace then dropped to his knees in joy defeating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4 to seal the Dutch side’s spot in the Davis Cup final with a 2-0 win over Germany in Malaga, Spain today.
In its 96th year as a Davis Cup nation, The Netherlands will face either defending-champion Italy or 28-time champion Australia in the Davis Cup final on Sunday.
“Wow—it’s unbelievable,” Griekspoor said in his on-court interview. “We have been talking about this for two to three years. We came here all the time. We had unbelievable tough draws.
“We lost to the finals, to the winner, we had Spain this year. But we believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. So to do it now feels unbelievable. I’m so happy for the whole team. For Tennis Holland. Yeah, unbelievable night.”
Van de Zandschulp zapped a big serve down the T converting his 10th match point to finally subdue a stubborn Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-7(12), 6-3 staking The Netherlands to a 1-0 lead.
A gritty Altmaier went down fighting. The German staved off nine match points, including five in the second-set tiebreaker.
World No. 80 Van de Zandschulp conceded seeing nearly two fistfuls of match points dissipate left him dazed and confused. But the 29-year-old Dutchman, who shocked Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open in August, refused to lose.
“At some point, I didn’t know what to do anymore on the match points,” Van de Zandschulp told Barry Cowan in his on-court interview. “In the second set, I had 4-2, 15-40 so I already felt like if I could make a double break there, then it’s game, set and match.
“Then in the tiebreaker, I got a lot of match points and he handled some quite well actually with an amazing short cross backhand and some good serving. Then it’s tough to come back in the third set. Starting with a break, break back and then serving it out in the end.”
Van de Zandschulp withstood 16 aces from Altmaier and kept calm in the latter stages of the final set serving out a massive two hour, 42 minute victory.
Afterward, Van de Zandschulp cited his victory over Rafael Nadal on Tuesday in the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s professional farewell match as ideal preparation for life in the pressure cooker today.
“I think I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday [against Nadal] so everything that comes next is maybe easier,” Van de Zandschulp said. “Support is amazing. I think the Dutch people are always coming out with a lot of fans.
“It’s amazing they come for the second time this week with so many people and with so much joy so it’s good to see.”
Van de Zandschulp built a one-set, 4-2 lead and had four break point chances for a 5-2 lead.
Digging in, Altmaier fought back to hold then converted his third break point to break back and level the set at 4-all.
In an epic tiebreaker, Altmaier fended off five match points, including this jaw-dropping backhand flick on a ball behind him on the first match point. Altmaier aced his way out of the fifth match point.
Across the net, Van de Zandschulp denied three set points.
A crackling serve brought Altmaier a fourth set point. Altmaier soared for a smash to end the suspenseful tiebreak raising a clenched fist to roaring German fans.
Shaking off the deep disappointment of the tiebreaker, Van de Zandschulp broke for a 5-3 third-set lead only to run into severe stress trying to serve it out.
Altmaier earned double break point and narrowly missed a backhand crosscourt on the second break point. The German denied an eighth match point with a forehand dart down the line and dodged a ninth match point when a tight Van de Zandschulp pushed a slice wide.
Finally, the Dutchman gained a 10th match point on a passing shot error before throwing down that bolt first serve to end the match.