Botic van de Zandschulp has one of the toughest names to pronounce on the ATP Tour, and his Dutch roots only add to the complexity. Back in the 2021 US Open, this became the subject of a light-hearted moment when a reporter bravely asked him to help with pronunciation during a press conference.
Botic gave it his best shot, but the attempt quickly turned into a hilarious exchange. He casually remarked, “Pretty tough, huh?”—a comment that sent the room into fits of laughter. Botic, ever the good sport, took it all in his stride.
‘Pretty tough, huh?’
@usopen pic.twitter.com/OkxHbsDt7N
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) September 5, 2021
That same calm and composed demeanor was on full display when he faced Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of this year’s US Open. The two had previously met at the 2021 Australian Open, where Alcaraz emerged victorious. But this time, Botic was determined to even the score.
In a stunning turn of events, the Dutchman pulled off a major upset, defeating the tournament favorite and advancing to the third round. His ability to stay cool under pressure undoubtedly played a crucial role in his victory.
In his post-match interview, Botic reflected on the win, emphasizing how much he had learned since their first encounter. At the beginning of the interview, he seemed to be at a loss for words, still dazed from the glorious victory he pulled off just minutes ago.
He went on to say that he gained a lot of confidence from his previous match and ultimately it came down to believing in himself that let him win the match. He mentioned the strategies that he used, and the ones that helped him the most were having a solid defense and engaging in net play when needed.
As Botic moves on to the next round, he will be up against Jack Draper. Draper has been having a good season so far and even Botic seems to think so. Botic’s strategy for taking on bigger names is just to be calm, and composed, and learn from the mistakes he has made in the past.
Fans will be eager to see if he can continue his impressive run. Who knows, maybe by the end of the tournament, everyone will finally have his name down pat.
