Griekspoor Puts Friendship On Hold To Master Van De Zandschulp In Montpellier

Tallon Griekspoor, Montpellier
Tallon Griekspoor (photo: Open Occitanie/JB Autissier)

MONTPELLIER/WASHINGTON, January 28, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

While it’s never easy having to face a good friend or a Davis Cup teammate in a match – regardless of whether it’s a first-round tussle or a championship showdown – it’s the harsh reality of tournament tennis on the ATP Tour.

Take for instance, Tuesday afternoon’s first-round meeting at the Open Occitanie in Montpellier, France, which paired the Dutch No. 1 and No. 2 players on the ATP Tour, No. 5 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands against his contemporary Botic van de Zandschulp.

Griekspoor and van de Zandschulp, along with 131st-ranked Jesper de Jong, make up the Dutch contingent competing in the 28-player singles draw in southern France that is dominated by nine entrants from the home country. So, it’s inevitable that compatriots would be paired against one another in the opening round of the week-long ATP 250 indoor hard-court event at Sud de France Arena.

Although it was the third tour-level meeting between the 46th-ranked Griekspoor and No. 84 van de Zandschulp, in which they came in with their head-to-head tied at 1-1, the two Dutchman also had met twice on the ATP Challenger Tour. So, there were few, if any, secrets left to be hidden between these two good friends, who happen to also be Dutch Davis Cup teammates and practice partners.

As it happened, Griekspoor gained the upper hand from the start, breaking van de Zandschulp’s serve twice in the opening set and adding two more breaks in the second set. Although he squandered a few opportunities, Griekspoor’s overall play was superior to van de Zandschulp.

By the end, Griekspoor hit a running volley winner – his 24th winner of the day – on his second match-point opportunity to put away a comfortable 7-5, 6-3 victory in an hour and 36 minutes over his good friend and Dutch Davis Cup teammate. Griekspoor, 28, outpointed the 29-year-old van de Zandschulp 73-61. It was Griekspoor’s 24th indoor victory since the start of the 2023 season, second-most on the ATP Tour behind Jannik Sinner’s 33. The loss dropped van de Zandschulp’s win-loss record against Top-50 opponents since the start of last season to 5-19.

Afterward, during his on-court interview, Griekspoor addressed the challenges of facing an opponent, who is also his good friend, Davis Cup teammate – and one whom he regularly shares practices with.

“It’s very, very not easy to play each other,” the Dutch No. 1 Griekspoor said. “We practice together every day when we’re back home in Amsterdam. We know each other better than anyone else, I guess, so that also makes it tricky to play each other.

“I don’t think we played our best match, but I guess that’s what happens when you know each other so well. I think I served really well in the important moments, saved a couple of break points with big serves. I’m happy with my performance and happy to get a chance to come back tomorrow.”

The win advanced Griekspoor, making his third appearance in Montpellier, to the second round against  132nd-ranked Richard Gasquet on Thursday.

Gasquet turns back the clock against Mannarino

In his final Montpellier appearance, Richard Gasquet, who owns tournament records for most appearances (13), titles (3, tied with Gaël Monfils) and wins (29) and reached six consecutive Open Occitanie finals from 2013-18, put on a grand performance Tuesday evening before a near-capacity crowd at Sud de France Arena.

After announcing his plans to retire after Roland-Garros in May, the 38-year-old Frenchman from Beziers (about an hour’s drive from Montpellier), became the third man in the Open Era to win a tour-level match in 24 different seasons (since 2002) with his magnificent 6-3, 6-2 victory over compatriot Adrian Mannarino. Simply put, he put on great, entertaining show – albeit lasting just 75 minutes – for the appreciative French fans. It earned him at least one more match in Montpellier on Thursday against No. 5 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.

The former World No. 7 Gasquet was nothing if not brilliant in rolling back the years against the 108th-ranked Mannarino, whom he has now defeated three times in four tour-level meetings and four times overall. He hustled about the entire court and showed grace and power with both wings – especially his one-fisted backhand, that has been Gasquet’s signature shot throughout his entire career.

Richard Gasquet, Montpellier

Richard Gasquet (photo: Open Occitanie/JB Autissier)

In garnering the 607th win of his career, Gasquet won 93 percent (26 of 28) of points on his first serve, hit 16 winners, faced no break points while breaking Mannarino three times in six opportunities, and outpointed his opponent 62-42. By contrast, Mannarino won just 64 percent of his first serves and committed 28 unforced errors – eight more than Gasquet – while striking just 15 winners.

“It’s always special to play against a friend,” Gasquet said during his on-court interview, describing what it’s like to play against Mannarino, 36. “We are used to it. I’ve played many times against a French player. But it’s a little bit different [this time] because it’s my last in Montpellier. Plus, I’m really happy to win.

“I hope Adrian will play good in the future,” Gasquet added, putting in a good thought for the Soisy-sous-Montmorency native, who was playing his first match outside the Top 100 since August of last year. “I’m really happy with the way I played. It’s important to me to be able to play another match. I really like to play here. I won many times so I’m happy to be here, again.”

Around the Open Occitanie

First-round singles play and doubles continued across both Court Patrice Dominguez and Court 1. Among the highlights:

• In his tournament debut, 98th-ranked Mattia Bellucci of Italy gave a strong performance in defeating No. 104 Lucas Pouille of France, 6-4, 6-4, in an hour and 40 minutes on Court Patrice Dominguez. It was the 23-year-old Bellucci’s first tour-level win since Shanghai last October and his seventh overall. He struck 26 winners, including eight aces, and saved all 10 break points he faced from Pouille. The 2018 Montpellier champion, who is winless at tour-level since Wimbledon, struggled with his second serve. He won just 31 percent of his second-serve points. Next, Bellucci faces either No. 102 Aleksandar Kovacevic of the United States or No. 6 seed David Goffin of Belgium, ranked 56th, who play Wednesday.

• No. 7 seed Arthur Rinderknech fired an ace on match point – his 16th of the match and 36th winner overall – against fellow Frenchman Harold Mayot, ranked No. 130, to win 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, in two hours and 10 minutes on Court Patrice Dominguez. Rinderknech fought off 14 of 16 break points he faced and converted two of three opportunities. He outpointed Mayot 92-89.

The win advanced the 61st-ranked Rinderknech to face either 178th-ranked qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia or No. 112 Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, who play Wednesday.

• No. 111 Christopher Eubanks of the United States advanced with an 80-minute 7-5, 6-4 win over 199th-ranked qualifier Alibek Kachmazov of Russia on Court 1. The American fired eight aces, won 81 percent of his first-serve points and converted three of four break points to earn his first tour-level win since last August. He outpointed Kachmazov 68-55 in their first meeting. Next, Eubanks will face World No. 10 and top seed Andrey Rublev of Russia in the second round.

• No. 103 Borna Coric of Croatia was upset by 177th-ranked French qualifier Constant Lestienne, 6-3, 7-5, in an hour and 38 minutes on Court 1. Lestienne converted three of five break points and outpointed Coric 67-56. Lestienne advanced to play No. 8 seed Bu Yunchaokete of China in the second round.

• Meanwhile, the doubles draw featured No. 1 seeds, Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul of France, who pulled out a come-from-behind 6-7 (4), 6-4, 11-9 victory over Theo Arribage of France and Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands that lasted an hour and 47 minutes Tuesday evening.

Also, wild cards Arthur Cazaux of France and Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland were defeated by Tallon Griekspoor and Bart Stevens of the Netherlands, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5; and No. 2 seeds Jamie Murray of Great Britain and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France were upset by Germany’s Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens, 7-5, 2-6, 10-5.

Tuesday’s Open Occitanie results

Wednesday’s Open Occitanie order of play

By the numbers

Tallon Griekspoor has the second-most indoor wins (24) since the start of the 2023 season, trailing Jannik Sinner (33). Griekspoor, who moved one ahead of Ugo Humbert and Grigor Dimitrov, has reached three indoor semifinals (2023-24 Rotterdam, 2024 Stockholm) since the start of 2023.

“Quotable …”

• “It [will be] revenge of the revenge because I also played him three weeks ago. I know Felix very well, it’s going to be a big fight like always. So I am pretty happy to be in the second round and play against him with my crowd.”

– Hometown favorite Arthur Cazaux, a native of Montpellier, during his on-court interview following his Monday evening victory over Stan Wawrinka, describing his second-round match against No. 2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

• “Normally I cannot play this week because we have Davis Cup. [This year] we got a bye into the final. So, I enjoyed my last two times here. I played well, felt well. I like the conditions. I like a roof above my head, same in Rotterdam next week. It’s perfect for me to be here. Also, a perfect way to open up the season.”

– No. 5 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, during his on-court interview following his Tuesday afternoon victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, describing why he enjoys playing in Montpellier.

 

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