Wesley Koolhof teamed up with Botic Van de Zandschulp to beat Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Zeballos 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) in 2 hours and 12 minutes booking a spot for the Netherlands in the semifinals in the Davis Cup with a 2-1 win over Spain.
Spain was not able to convert on an early break point following Van de Zandschulp’s first double fault. Both teams held on their next service games en route to the tie-break. After Granollers saved a break point with a first serve at 3-3, Alcaraz hit a touch volley to hold serve. Van de Zandschulp saved a set point to hold serve at deuce for 5-5. The Netherlands went up a mini-break twice with return winners (a Koolhof forehand and a de Zandschiulp backhand), but Spain pulled both mini-breaks back to draw level to 3-3. Koolhof hit another return to give the Dutch team a 5-4 lead. He hit his volley to open up a 6-4 lead. The Dutch team sealed the tie-break, as Granollers shanked his return after 70 minutes. Alcaraz held serve in the first game at the start of the second set before earning the first break of the match with a forehand return winner off Van de Zandschulp’s second serve.
Granollers consolidated the break with a hold for 3-1. Van De Zandschulp broke back in the eighth game with a forehand at 30-40 to draw level to 4-4. Alcaraz and Granollers rallied from 0-30 to hold serve at 4-5 down. Van de Zandschulp held serve at love for 6-5. Granollers recovered from 15-30 in the 12th game to force a second tie-break after Alcaraz hit a backhand volley. The tie-break went on serve on the first six points before Koolhof earned the first mini-break to take a 4-3 lead. Van de Zandschulp hit a forehand on the first match point to seal the win.
Koolhof put off his retirement to another day.
“I reached a very high level today, which I am very happy about. We did an amazing job as a team. Botic told me he struggled on returns, bu as long as he made on match point, I am happy. This was one of the best matches of the year. I am looking forward to the next match”, said Koolhof.
Botic Van de Zandschulp beat Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 to give the Netherlands a 1-0 lead in the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga. Nadal played hi farewell match.
Van de Zandschulp made three double faults in his first serving game, but he earned his first break in the nith game with two passing shot winners before closing out the first set 6-4 in the 10th game.
Van de Zandschulp went up a 4-1 lead with a double break in the first and fifth game. Nadal pulled one of the two breaks in the 10-minute sixth game for 2-4. The Spanish tennis legend reeled off two consecutive games to close the gap to 3-4. Van de Zandschulp rallied from 0-30 to hold serve in the eighth game for 5-3. The Dutch player, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the second round of the US Open last summer, served out on his first match point in the 10thgame to end Nadal’s 29-match winning streak at Davis Cup.
“In the beginning, I think we were both nervous. The first set did not go too smoothly. The crowd was tough understandably. That what’s like to play in Spain against Rafa. He is the biggest sportsman that has ever lived in Spain. It was a really special event. It’s tough to close out a match against him, knowing that it could be his last or not. I was hoping more than going for it, but in the end, I just went for it and that helped”, said Van de Zandschulp.
Nadal had tears in his eyes during the Spanish national anthem. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.
“It’s been an emotional day. I knew it could be my last match as a professional tennis player. The moments leading up to it were emotional, kind of difficult to handle, in general. So many emotions. I tried to do it as well as possible”, said Nadal.
Carlos Alcaraz moved past Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-0) 6-3 to level the tie to 1-1 keeping Spain’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinals alive.
Griekspoor broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead, but Alcaraz broke straight back. Both players went on serve en route to the tie-break. Alcaraz earned three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-0. The four-time Grand Slam champion earned a break in the second game to win the second set 6-3 to improve to 6-0 in his head-to-head matches against his Dutch opponent.
“It’s an emotional day, but once you step on the court, you have to forget everything and show your best tennis, It’s the Davis Cup, it’s a really important tournament for me, I think for everyone. I try to play my best tennis, get the win, and give Spain the chance to qualify and win. I did it for Rafa. I started the match pretty well. It was just that one game that I lost the focus a little bit. I missed some easy forehands and let him get the break, so I had to stay there. I was just one game I tried to stay positive. I am really happy that I got in two sets”, said Alcaraz.
