Netherlands Reach Its First Davis Cup Final In 104 Years

Botic van de Zandschulp
Botic van de Zandschulp (photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)

MALAGA/WASHINGTON, November 23, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

European foes Germany and the Netherlands have enjoyed a long sporting rivalry. On the tennis court, it’s been the Germans who have done most of the cheering. After all, team captain Michael Kohlmann‘s team had won six of seven previous encounters against the Dutch coming into Friday’s Davis Cup Final 8 semifinal tie in Malaga.

While the Netherlands’ only win came 23 years ago in 2001 – the same year the Dutch reached the semifinals – they came into their latest tussle with Germany with a feeling of confidence after their lineup of Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp in singles and van de Zandschulp with Wesley Koolhof in doubles exceeded expectations and took out host Spain 2-1 in the opening quarterfinal tie. Germany advanced with a solid 2-0 shutout win over Canada.

With an opportunity to reach the Davis Cup final for the first time in their 104-year history of competing for the prestigious prize, the Netherlands had much to fight for. So did three-time champion Germany, which was bidding to reach the final for the first time since they won their last title in 1993 led by Michael Stich.

When push came to shove, it was the Netherlands who dug deep and prevailed 2-0 over Germany on the strength of a pair of singles wins by van de Zandschulp and Griekspoor. Each match went three sets – and both outcomes easily could have been reversed. Certainly, Germany would have liked getting the tie to doubles, where they had ATP Finals champions Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz eager to take the court. Instead, there would be no decisive doubles match to decide the outcome.

As it happened, No. 40 Griekspoor rallied past 43rd-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and a minute to clinch the tie for the Dutch and punch their ticket to Sunday’s championship tie. He calmly and with purpose served an ace up the middle of the T on match point, then raised his arms to celebrate victory for the Netherlands.

“It’s unbelievable. We have been talking about this [moment] for two or three years,” Griekspoor said during his on-court interview amid the celebration of his teammates and team captain Paul Haarhuis. “We came here all the time with unbelievably tough draws, but we believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. To do it now feels unbelievable. I am so happy for the whole team, and for Holland.”

Griekspoor, 28, put on a serving masterclass that included firing 25 aces and winning 78 percent of his service points. He saved both break points he faced from Struff – both in the eighth game of the second set – while converting two of four against his opponent. He outpointed Struff 100-92.

“I just tried to focus on my own game. I felt like he was playing unbelievable tennis,” Griekspoor said, speaking of Struff, who tallied 13 aces. “I didn’t do much wrong in the first set. … I’m super proud of myself, super proud of the effort and very happy to get the win in the end.”

Earlier, in the opener, the 80th-ranked van de Zandschulp put the Dutch on top after pulling out the opening match 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 over No. 88 Daniel Altmaier in two hours and 42 minutes. It was quite a rollercoaster of a match, filled with plenty of ups and downs for both players.

Van de Zandschulp, a 6-foot-3-inch Dutchman with a quiet demeanor, squandered five match points during a dramatic 26-point tiebreaker won 14-12 by Altmaier to force a decider – and agonized over four more that got away while he was serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set.

Finally, the 29-year-old native of Wageningen gained his composure. Van de Zandschulp held his nerve just long enough, and won on his 10th match point opportunity with a service winner that Altmaier was unable to return. He outpointed Altmaier 114-109 after converting four of 10 break-points, including at 15-40 in the eighth game when he ripped a forehand winner to finish off a 16-shot rally that put him ahead for good at 5-3.

“I’m not sure actually [how I won it]. At some point, I didn’t know what to do anymore on those match points,” said van de Zandschulp of his mental effort, after winning his second match this week and improving to 12-6 lifetime in Davis Cup competition. “In the second set, I had 4-2 15-40, so I already felt like if I had made the double break there, it would be game, set and match. Then, in the tie-break, I had a lot of match points and he handled some [of the match points] quite well, actually.

“I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday [against Rafael Nadal], so everything that comes next, maybe, is a little bit easier.”

Van de Zandschulp gave a shout out to the Orange-clad Dutch fans, who were out in full force throughout Martín Carpena Arena, cheering for him and his teammates. “The support is amazing. I think the Dutch people are always coming out. We have a lot of fans here. It’s amazing they’re here for the second time this week, with so many people and with so much joy. It’s great to see,” he said.

Now, the Netherlands will have a day to recover while they await the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal tie between defending Davis Cup champion Italy and Australia.

The significance of the Netherlands playing in their its Davis Cup final was not lost on Haarhuis. “For me, it means I’m going to be a finalist for the first time-ever in the Davis Cup. … It’s unique that we do it because we don’t have a Top-5 player or a Top-10 player,” he said. “It’s a team effort. “I’m so proud of these guys.”

By the numbers

Before Friday, Germany and the Netherlands had never met this deep in Davis Cup competition, having twice met at the quarterfinal stage, in 1995 when the Germans won 4-1, and in 2001, when the Netherlands prevailed 4-1.

“Quotable …”

“The idea was to stop on a high note, to still finish one more year very strong. In the end, [I] won five ATP titles, three Masters, and amazing last season of my career. …

“I know I still have the level to continue for five to seven more years, maybe, but no, it’s time for something else. Made the decision at the end of the year. Never doubted it. Never ever regretted it so far.”

– Wesley Koolhof, 35, of the Netherlands, during Tuesday’s post-tie news conference, on his decision to retire at the end of the 2024 season. Sunday’s Davis Cup championship final will be Koolhof’s last competition.

 

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