Player Features

What amazed Van de Zandschulp about Djokovic in their first meeting

In 2022, Botic van de Zandschulp played Novak Djokovic for the first time in Astana. It was a memorable match, but not to the Dutchman's delight. 

Djokovic triumphed 6-3, 6-1 en route to the title, while van de Zandschulp was left to figure out how he had played well and failed to challenge the Serbian superstar.

“I remember I played pretty well, but I only got four games,” van de Zandschulp said. “So hopefully, that's going to be different in a couple days.”

The 29-year-old will have his chance at revenge on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open, where he will face Djokovic for the second time in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“Everything I did, he had an answer for it. So, if I serve well, 220, returning it back, unbelievable return. If we're forehand cross, then he played a better shot in the end,” van de Zandschulp said of their first meeting. “I also looked at the stats after the first set — 12 winners, six unforced errors and lost the set 6-3. Normally, if you play 12 winners and six unforced errors, most of the time you win the set. That's something that amazed me.”

Today the experience reminds the Dutchman of a match he played against Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Australian Open, which Medvedev won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

“I was playing good. I was playing amazing, but 4-6 4-6 down,” van de Zandschulp said. “I had maybe 25 winners and 10 unforced errors. All the stats were positive, and you're 4-6 4-6 down. That’s something I also had against Novak. When I played him back then, that was probably the most impressive when I played someone.”

The two-time ATP Tour finalist has risen to the occasion before. Just last year at the US Open, van de Zandschulp swept Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the second round.

“Those guys challenge me. I know I have to play my best. I have to play a certain way. Otherwise, they are going to do it. So that's something I know before I go into the match,” van de Zandschulp said. “I have to play that way, otherwise they're going to play like that, and then it's going to be really tough. Because if you say to Alcaraz, ‘Here you have it, you can decide the whole match, what's going to happen’, then it's going to be a really tough matchup.”

Off the court, it has been an interesting time for the Dutchman. He bought his first house back home and has remotely been trying to get everything set up.

“It's been tough with the time difference it's tough to manage. It is in Amsterdam,” van de Zandschulp said. “I got it in December. Someone is helping me, luckily. But still, you have to take care of a lot of stuff yourself. So that's sometimes it is not easy with the time differences.”

For now, the No. 85 player in the PIF ATP Rankings' full focus is on Indian Wells. Van de Zandschulp lost in the final round of qualifying to Matteo Gigante. But Facundo Diaz Acosta withdrew due to a left foot injury, giving van de Zandschulp a lucky loser spot. Now he has a chance to cause a big upset against five-time champion Djokovic.

“There’s something funny about that. You can be out and a couple hours later, you can be in. That's something you maybe have to take a little bit advantage of,” van de Zandschulp said. “Maybe you go a little bit different into the matches like you have nothing to lose, already lost in quality. You go out there and swing and see what happens. I think that's the attitude you have to have.”