Botic van de Zandschulp reaches US Open fourth round with five-set victory over Zizou Bergs

Match on Court 17

Botic van de Zandschulp advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday after defeating Belgian player Zizou Bergs in a five-set match on Court 17 in Queens. The encounter lasted 4 hours and 29 minutes, concluding with a score of 3-6, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3. Van de Zandschulp, who is ranked 70th in the world, entered the match as an underdog against the world number 37 and tournament 31st seed. The victory marks the first time since Wimbledon in 2022 that the 30-year-old Dutchman has reached the round of 16 at a Grand Slam tournament.

Five sets of shifts

Bergs secured an immediate break in Van de Zandschulp's opening service game to capture the first set 6-3. In the second set, the player from Wageningen established a 5-3 lead before failing to serve out the set, then missed two set points at 6-5 before prevailing in the tiebreak. Bergs regained control in the third set after Van de Zandschulp committed three double faults and a forehand error in his opening service game, establishing a 4-1 lead and closing out the set 6-4 despite a Dutch counter-break. The fourth set proceeded on serve until Van de Zandschulp broke at 5-5, immediately dropped his own serve, and then overcame a two-mini-break deficit in the tiebreak to convert his third set point. In the deciding fifth set, Van de Zandschulp broke Bergs in the opening game and again two games later to build a 4-0 lead before finishing the contest at 6-3.

Next opponent Arthur Gea

In the fourth round, Van de Zandschulp will face French player Arthur Gea. The 21-year-old entered the main draw as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of Caspar Ruud, having won the ATP tournament in Los Cabos in early August. Gea secured his place in the fourth round by defeating American player Michael Zheng across five sets with scores of 7-6 (7), 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2. Gea became the second male lucky loser to advance to this stage of the US Open. Earlier in the tournament, Van de Zandschulp eliminated Australian world number 6 Alex de Minaur in straight sets.

Dutch contingent in New York

Van de Zandschulp remains the only Dutch representative active in the singles competitions at Flushing Meadows. In men's singles, Jesper de Jong was eliminated by Bergs in the second round, while Tallon Griekspoor lost in the first round. In women's singles, both Arantxa Rus and Anouk Koevermans exited in the opening round. In women's doubles, Demi Schuurs and her partner Ellen Perez advanced to the third round by defeating Elena Pridankina and Qianhui Tang with scores of 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. Van de Zandschulp, coached by Raemon Sluiter, previously reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2021, where he lost to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.