Carlos Alcaraz arrived at his debut at the ABN AMRO Open Rotterdam 2025 after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and falling in a four-set battle against former world No. 1 Noval Djokovic. In the beginning of his journey in the Netherlands he defeated the number 84, Botic Van de Zandschulp - the Spaniard's tormentor in Flushing Meadows - in a hard-fought match by 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1.
Alcaraz has made some modifications to his schedule and this year he changed the South American tour for tournaments closer to home. Rotterdam is only his second competition in this 2025 in which Alcaraz will have to balance well the amount of championships played and thus conserve the necessary energy to reach the end of the season better than last year.
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Botic Van de Zandschulp is already a familiar sight for the Spaniards. Not only did he knock out Alcaraz himself in the second round of the US Open 2024, but it was the Dutchman who last defeated the iconic Rafael Nadal in the last edition of the Davis Cup. The 29-year-old's tennis has proven to be quite a handful, especially on fast courts.
Alcaraz started his presentation in the Netherlands looking for a new victory against the Dutchman. Currently Van de Zandschulp is 1-2 but it was he who had the last smile. Before the US Open Carlitos had defeated him in Basel and at the Australian Open in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
First set
The first set was extremely strange with both players giving up their serve several times, being much more comfortable from the rest.
Alcaraz lost his serve in the third game and instantly regained it, only to be broken again in the next game. Three consecutive breaks and an erratic first set for both. The Dutchman held the lead until he had to serve for the set. Even with a set point in his favor, Van de Zandschulp could not withstand the pressure and the Spaniard evened things up at 5;
Later in the tie break, Carlitos improved his serve, played very well the points with his serve and marked the differences to take the first set by 7-6(3).
Second Set
The second set saw the Dutchman playing much more determined and confident. After an even start in which both exchanged break opportunities, van de Zandschulp struck first in the sixth game, taking advantage of a drop in the second serve of the two-time Wimbledon champion. He would win only 4 of the ten points played on his second serve in the whole set. The one break advantage was enough and Van de Zandschulp managed to close out the set 6-3.
Third Set
The number 84 of the world ranking came loaded with motivation to the decisive set, putting a lot of pressure on Carlitos from the return, even having a break point. Unfortunately for the Dutchman, the missed chances throughout the match would be a constant theme and everything that does not kill Alcaraz, makes him stronger.
The Spaniard broke in game 2 and took a 3-0 lead after holding serve. From that moment on Alcaraz would not look back, dominating all his service games and improving what he had done in the previous sets in terms of effectiveness with his first and second serves. Finally Carlitos took the decisive set with great clarity by 6-1 and is in the third round of the tournament.
His next opponent will be the winner of the match between the Italian Andrea Vavassori and the newly crowned Open Occitanie champion Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Carlos fights through 💪@carlosalcaraz takes revenge on his US Open loss to Van de Zandshculp with a 7-6 3-6 6-1 win in Rotterdam!#abnamroopen pic.twitter.com/gXCAL31dz2
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 4, 2025
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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