Jannik Sinner took on Jesper de Jong of The Netherlands in the second round of the 2024 Australian Open on Wednesday. The latter bears an extremely common Dutch surname, making many fans wonder if he is related to soccer star Frenkie de Jong.
Despite having the same surname, Jasper de Jong and FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong are not related by any means. ‘De Jong’ is one of the most common last names in the Netherlands. Not so surprisingly, several other famous personalities carry this exact surname.
For instance, Luuk de Jong, a standout striker for PSV, also carries the same surname. He has even locked horns against Frenkie de Jong on numerous occasions. However, like Jesper, Luuk is not related to either of them. It’s a fascinating coincidence, but ultimately just that — a coincidence.
Returning to Jesper de Jong, who is making his Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2024 Australian Open after nine attempts. Primarily competing in the ATP Challenger and ITF circuits, he improved his singles rankings by many places in 2023. Starting the season outside the top 250, he reached a career-high ranking of World No.135 before finishing the year at No.148.
In fact, his only main draw appearance on the ATP Tour last year was the first-round loss against Matteo Arnaldi in the Croatia Open. He reached two Challenger finals in 2023, earning $172,231 across the season. Overall, his career prize money winnings are $451,225. The 23-year-old, who lives in Hoofddorp in North Netherlands, describes himself as an aggressive baseliner (via the ATP Website).
Jesper De Jong on His Way Out of the 2024 Australian Open Against Jannik Sinner
Not only did Jesper de Jong make his Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2024 Australian Open, but he also scored his first tour victory. Coming through three qualifiers, the current World No.161 upset World No.74 Pedro Cachin in the first round. He beat the Argentine 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to advance into the second round.
De Jong faced the biggest test of his young career so far in the Round of 64, coming up against World No.4 Jannik Sinner. The Italian is a title favorite, and the current score suggests he is playing like one.
At the time of writing, Sinner has won both the first and the second sets respectively by a 6-2 margin. He seems to be headed for a comprehensive straight-set win against De Jong, who has fired five aces compared to his four. Ahead of the match, the Dutchman had said it would be the biggest match of his life. He promised to make Sinner fight for each point and hoped to have the crowd support him.
While Jesper de Jong’s 2024 Australian Open campaign will most likely end here, he can take heart from his performances. This will provide a big boost to his ranking, prize money, and, of course, his confidence.
