Griekspoor/Van De Zandschulp Capture Antwerp Crown

Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp completed their dream week at the European Open in style Sunday when they defeated second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

In a hard-fought clash, the Dutchmen fired eight aces and held their nerve in the crucial moments, pulling away from 3/3 in the Match Tie-break to triumph after 68 minutes in Antwerp.

Before arriving in Belgium, Griekspoor and van de Zandschulp had not won a tour-level match as a team this season, holding a 0-4 record. However, they dropped just one set en route to the title as they turned the tables in dramatic fashion in Antwerp.

The 26-year-old Griekspoor and the 27-year-old van de Zandschulp were both competing in their first tour-level doubles final. Griekspoor’s best result prior to this week was a run to the quarter-finals in Gstaad in 2021 and Kitzbühel in 2022. Van de Zandschulp advanced to the semi-finals in Doha earlier this season with Mackenzie McDonald.

Bopanna and Middelkoop were aiming to win their second tour-level title as a team, after lifting the trophy in Tel Aviv earlier this month.