9 mei 2024 om 17:43 Update: 21 min. geleden
Botic van de Zandschulp qualified for the second round of the Masters tournament in Rome on Thursday. In a nerve-wracking match, the Veenendaler was too strong for the American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran in three sets: 7-5, 6-7 (5) and 7-6 (4).
Van de Zandschulp needed no less than 3 hours 14 minutes to reach the second round in Rome. The Dutch number 112 in the world struck on his second match point and will face the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (ATP-20) in the second round.
Things were evenly matched in the first set for a long time in Rome, until 28-year-old Van de Zandschulp broke his two-year-younger opponent at 5-5. In his own service game he won the opening game after 53 minutes.
In the second set, Van de Zandschulp got a break point at 5-5, but did not use it. Moreno De Alboran immediately punished him with a win in the subsequent tiebreak.
In the third and decisive set, Van de Zandschulp missed a match point at 6-5, after which a tiebreak had to decide. Van de Zandschulp broke Moreno De Alboran at the first opportunity and did not relinquish the small lead after that.
Tallon Greek Spoor is the only other Dutchman still active in Rome. The number 26 in the world had a bye in the first round and will meet Italian Francesco Passaro (ATP-240) on Thursday.
Nadal also continues after a battle of attrition
Rafael Nadal also reached the second round in Rome. In a tough match that lasted almost three hours, the 37-year-old Spanish clay court king was too strong for the Belgian Zizou Bergs: 6-4, 3-6 and 4-6.
Nadal quickly took a break lead in the first set, but immediately relinquished it. At 4-4, the 24-year-old qualifier Nadal broke again, after which he won the opening game on his own serve.
In the second set, Nadal gained more and more control over Bergs and one break was enough for him to take that set. In the third and deciding set, Bergs surrendered his first service game and was unable to make up for the deficit.
After almost three hours, Nadal received two match points. The ten-time winner of the ATP tournament in Rome only needed one after a rejection from Bergs. In the second round, Nadal, number 305 in the world, will face the Pole Hubert Hurkacz.
