“Being kind should never be confused with being obedient”: Van de Zandschulp’s coach sets the tone

Botic van de Zandschulp has a new coach for the 2026 season, following his partnership with Raemon Sluiter, a former Dutch world No. 46 who has recently worked mainly on the WTA Tour with high-profile players such as former Top 3 stars Elina Svitolina and Maria Sakkari.

The 30-year-old Dutchman is hoping for a fresh boost to his career after a significant drop in the rankings, having slipped from a career-high No. 22 in 2023 to outside the Top 100 during the 2025 season. Van de Zandschulp managed to recover ground towards the end of the year, finishing 2025 ranked world No. 77. “I had always thought about Rae, and I contacted him again in June after Rosmalen,” van de Zandschulp told De Telegraaf. “He had to think about it.”

At 47, Sluiter brings experience from both the ATP and WTA Tours. His coaching career began with fellow Dutch player Kiki Bertens, whom he guided for several years, including her run to the 2016 French Open semifinals. He later worked with Tallon Griekspoor before joining Svitolina’s team, and briefly coaching Sakkari.

“I had to consider whether I still wanted to do this and in what way,” Sluiter explained. “I worked with Maria Sakkari for more than three months. It didn’t work out, not only because we didn’t fully connect, but also because I wasn’t feeling well personally. My father had passed away a few months earlier, and Fatima’s father was also very ill. He passed away in July. We had a very tough year, but that’s part of life.”

Although the offer arrived in mid-2025, Sluiter took time before fully committing to van de Zandschulp and rediscovering his motivation to return to full-time life on tour. “And now we’re here,” Sluiter said. “I wouldn’t have started if I didn’t feel mentally fresh and highly motivated. I’ll also be travelling with him around 20 weeks a year, so it requires a lot of commitment.”

After reaching an agreement late in 2025, van de Zandschulp decided to give the partnership a trial period before making a long-term commitment. “You never know in advance. I think Raemon is a very pleasant person, on and off the court. Even under pressure, he doesn’t change. I need that calmness.”

Sluiter, meanwhile, acknowledged that behind his easygoing nature, he can also be demanding when needed. “If something needs to be addressed, I’m there,” the coach said. “Many people don’t fully understand that. They think I’m just nice, laughing and joking. Elina and Maria were sometimes surprised as well, because they realised there are limits you can’t cross with me. Being kind should never be confused with being obedient.”

Van de Zandschulp also admitted that his own personality can make him a difficult player to work with. “I’m certainly not the easiest person, sometimes I’m complicated,” he said. “I find it essential that people are direct, even if it hurts or seems harsh. I prefer that over people beating around the bush. If that didn’t work in the past, it was probably partly my fault — that I wasn’t open to it or reacted too strongly.”

With a new coaching partnership in place, van de Zandschulp hopes to take another step forward on tour and climb back up the rankings. Still, he insists he is not setting specific result-based goals. “Sometimes it’s nice to start a tournament with the feeling of ‘let’s see what happens’. But in reality, you also want to start every event with the mindset that you’re ready and capable of doing damage.”

The former world No. 22 believes that, despite being 30 years old, he can still surpass his previous achievements. Those include three ATP finals — all losses — and his breakthrough run to the US Open 2021 quarterfinals, where he came through qualifying before losing to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.

“I’m no longer at the start of my career, but I want to keep going for many more years,” van de Zandschulp added. “Adrian Mannarino reached his best ranking, No. 17, last year when he was almost 36. As long as I enjoy it and stay physically fit, I’ll keep going.”