McEnroe impressed with Van de Zandschulp: "He makes a particularly solid impression, he was also mentally strong"

Friday, 27 May 2022 at 16:17

Botic Van de Zandschulp is currently facing Rafael Nadal and is a set down against the great Spaniard at Roland Garros but he has a fan in John McEnroe who see the Dutchman as a consistent star after coming from nowhere.

"Botic came completely out of nowhere for me when he reached the quarterfinals of the US Open in New York last year. I had never heard of him before, but he was really good. I wondered why he hadn't won many matches before, because he makes a particularly solid impression. He was also mentally strong," said McEnroe to Eurosport translated from Dutch.

"At the US Open, he still won over Diego Schwartzman after trailing 2-0 in sets. At the time I really wondered: how on earth does he manage this? I'm not saying Van de Zandschulp is going to win majors, but he can reach the quarterfinals more often."

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But he doesn't see anyone toppling Nadal while he is fit and healthy and that includes Botic.

"Nadal is just not a favorite in Paris when he's injured. Of course, he lost to Djokovic in the semifinals last year, and besides, Carlos Alcaraz has been making a very good impression for a while. Okay, Rafa looked a bit injured recently in Rome, but that doesn't matter in the end. What matters is how fit he is now. He seems to be very fit in Paris for the time being and that's bad news for all his opponents."

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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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