Davis Cup: Van de Zandschulp hands Netherlands 1-0 lead over Germany via Altmaier slugfest
The Dutchman’s Davis Cup experience handed the Netherlands the early lead in 160 minute battle
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Botic Van de Zandschulp defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-4, (12) 6-7, 6-3 to give the Netherlands a 1-0 lead in their Davis Cup semi-final tie v Germany.
In, arguably, the biggest match of their careers, both were bound to feel some pressure early on, but you couldn’t tell with the way they were playing. Both held easily until 2-2, where the Dutchman eyed up a break point, but was unable to convert with passive play. Likewise, in the next game, the German had a break point opportunity, but Van de Zandschulp intelligently utilised a serve-and-volley which paid dividends.
Ultimately, Altmaier’s lack of Davis Cup experience showed at the most crucial of times, handing the break at 4-4 with a handful of errors. The Nadal slayer served out the set on the first time of asking for 6-4.
By the stats, the German had a very respectable 86 percent first serve points won, but a poorer 43 percent on the second serve compared to Van de Zandschulp’s 71 percent.
In the second, Van de Zandschulp piled the pressure on Altmaier at 2-2, with the latter boiling over on a missed volley to get broken. The Dutchman consolidated thanks for multiple effective volleys to put his team just two games from victory, before the German saved four double break points – two with high speed aces – to hold for 4-3.
That hard fought hold would pay off for Altmaier, hitting thunderous – and improbable – passing shots, and breaking back after the longest rally of the match for 4-4. The effort lifted both the German crowd as well as Altmaier who was now producing exuberant fist pumps after nearly every point won.
The set went all the way to a tiebreak, trading minibreaks, before Van de Zandschulp extended the lead to 5-2. Down two match points at 6-4, Altmaier produced an absolutely sensational backhand pass, and dug in on the second match point to outlast his opponent and even the tiebreak at 6-6. From there, Van de Zandschulp had three more match points – putting it to five total – and, remarkably, all were saved yet again. Altmaier’s net rushing paid off, taking the first on his fourth set point to clinch the tiebreak, and the second set, 14-12.
The Dutchman, who must have been in mental turmoil, survived a close first game v his inspired opponent, before digging in himself and going up a break once again for 2-0. However, keeping in tradition with this match, Altmaier retaliated and broke back in the next game to even up the third set. The next few games were unusually serve-dominated, until 4-3- – where Van de Zandschulp made the most of a short forehand from Altmaier to counterpunch with a powerful forehand down the line. Netherland’s No 2 saved two more break points, not capitalising on four more match points, before finally getting over the line on his tenth match point via an unreturned serve.
