Botic van de Zandschulp wore a New York Yankees hat on the U.S. Open like so many metropolis vacationers. He favored America a lot on his maiden journey, van de Zandschulp was in no rush to move again to the Netherlands.
He’s discovered a house in Flushing Meadows.
Van de Zandschulp has emerged because the shock of the U.S. Open, and the qualifier continued his out-of-nowhere run, beating No. 11 Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 on Sunday at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Van de Zandschulp was a part of a trio of U.S. Open qualifiers that reached the fourth spherical for the primary time for the reason that match started holding qualifying information in 1982. He joined Nicolas Escude (1999) and Gilles Muller (2008) as simply the third males”s qualifier to succeed in the quarterfinals for the reason that Open period started in 1968.
Botic Van De Zandschulp via to quarterfinals, third ever qualifier to advance to quarters in US Open History #USOpen pic.twitter.com/wtxQwmgBXF
— Ted Buddy 🤖 (@TedBuddy8) September 5, 2021
“It’s amazing that I beat No. 11 here, especially in a match like this,” he mentioned.
“For me, it was the first time in the big stadium. The crowd was amazing here.”
Before the U.S. Open, the ninth-year professional had solely 5 tour-level wins, was by no means ranked greater than 117 on the planet and had by no means superior previous the second spherical in a Grand Slam match. Look at him now, his U.S. Open streak an unqualified success for the little-known qualifier.
Van de Zandschulp ought to benefit from the run whereas he can. His subsequent match is in opposition to No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, who cruised into the U.S. Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 win over Daniel Evans on Sunday.
“A lot of, I would say surprises, maybe even more than in other slams,” Medvedev mentioned.
The 25-year-old van de Zandschulp had already knocked out No. 8 seed Casper Ruud within the second spherical. He additionally dropped the primary set in every of his first three U.S. Open matches earlier than reversing the pattern in opposition to Schwartzman.
“I think in the end, I deserved to win,” van de Zandschulp mentioned.
Fan Favourites
Frances Tiafoe ripped off his shirt after a victory final week that ended simply shy of two:15 a.m. and mentioned credit score went to not his 69 winners, however to the late night time/early morning followers that went wild on each set gained.
“You guys stuck with me all the way through,” he mentioned.
“You all did it.”
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, leaves the courtroom after shedding to Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, within the fourth spherical of the US Open tennis (AP)
The American repeated a well-recognized chorus uttered by each underdog — and there have been a handful of upset winners — headed into the second week of the U.S. Open.
The greatest help this Open is from the followers.
A 12 months after followers have been banned due to the pandemic, the acquainted roars have risen from Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, from the opening units of the day to those that stretch previous an inexpensive bedtime. American wild-card entry Jenson Brooksby, after upsetting Twenty first-seeded Aslan Karatsev in 5 units, knew tips on how to play to the gang.
“Crowd played a big role, definitely. Them chanting, cheering me on, it gave me a lot of energy to come back, down two sets to one,” he mentioned.
“It was a rough couple sets. Whether it was just my group, even friends I had here, the whole crowd in general with the full stadium, it was great to see them behind me. I really enjoyed that. Definitely helped get some energy in me to come back.”
Perhaps fueled by the enjoyment of being allowed again within the grandstands after a 12 months’s absence, or perhaps two or three $20 Honey Deuce cocktails, Flushing Meadows was filled with power once more.
Urged on by a raucous crowd, Shelby Rogers mentioned followers have been “probably the reason I won tonight” in her three-set win Saturday night time over top-seeded Ash Barty.
“I just think the energy that they brought and sheer will and passion that they were providing there in the stadium last night was truly incredible,” Rogers mentioned Sunday. “I think sometimes when you’re in an empty stadium or on the back court, you know, midnight, it’s tough to kind of muster up some of this courage yourself, so it’s always helpful to have other people cheer you on and encourage you.”
Spectators should present proof of at the very least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to attend matches. The U.S. Open topped 60,000 followers in complete attendance on Friday and Saturday. The night time session had 25,465 followers on Friday and 25,360 followers on Saturday.
