Botic van de Zandschulp stuns Diego Schwartzman to reach US Open quarter-finals
The Dutch qualifier beat the 11th seed 6-3 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-1 in a five-set marathon.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp made it a double Dutch celebration on Sunday when he stunned 11th seed Diego Schwartzman in a major upset at the US Open.
Hot on the heels of Max Verstappen’s victory at the Dutch Grand Prix win, Holland can now boast a Flushing Meadows quarter-finalist after Van de Zandschulp won a five-set marathon 6-3 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-1.
The world number 117 raced away with the first two sets and was a break up in the third when Argentinian Schwartzman mounted a comeback.
When Van de Zandschulp squandered two match points in the fourth the momentum seemed to be firmly with Schwartzman.
But the 25-year-old somehow managed to reset, grabbing a double break in the decider and finishing Schwartzman off with a nerve-jangling fifth match point to become only the third qualifier to reach the quarter-finals in US Open history.
Van de Zandschulp said on court: “I don’t really have words for it. I played so many matches here, some of them from the brink of defeat, but I pulled through every match.
“For the first time in the tournament I won the first set. Even the first two – and I still almost ended up losing the match.”
Van de Zandschulp will face world number two and second seed Daniil Medvedev in the last eight.
The Russian was ruthless as he dispatchBotic Van de Zandschulp beat Diego Schwartzmaned Britain’s Dan Evans the 24th seed, 6-3 6-4 6-3.