Key takeaways
- Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Alex de Minaur 6-4 7-5 6-2 to advance to the third round of the 2026 US Open.
- Van de Zandschulp credited his delivery for the breakthrough win against De Minaur, stating: “I think that was the difference today.”
- Reflecting on his recent success, Van de Zandschulp highlighted “mentally staying there during the whole match” as the key to securing his second top-10 victory in two weeks.
Botic van de Zandschulp continued his penchant for producing memorable upsets in New York, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4 7-5 6-2 in the second round of the 2026 US Open.
Entering the match having never previously defeated the Australian, the Dutchman took control of the contest early and maintained his discipline to secure a straight-sets victory at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Serving the difference against De Minaur
Reflecting on the breakthrough triumph in his on-court interview, Van de Zandschulp acknowledged the history of fierce battles against his opponent before pinpointing what shifted in his favor.
“Well, always had really difficult matches against Alex,” Van de Zandschulp said. “Some tough ones as well, some close matches, but today I serve very well.”
He added: “I think that was the difference today. And yeah, very clever with this win.”
Finding form under the new York lights
New York has consistently brought out remarkable tennis from Van de Zandschulp, who famously defeated Carlos Alcaraz at the tournament two years earlier. While the interviewer reminded him of that standout run, the Dutchman noted that the specific court had not previously been kind to him.
“Actually, this one I never won a match on, but the rest of the court, I like the conditions playing here in the States,” Van de Zandschulp explained. “Playing in New York brings some of my best teners.”
He also expressed his appreciation for the support from the stands, describing the atmosphere as pivotal to his performance. “New York is an unbelievable city. Always like the crowd, the atmosphere here, and yeah, tonight was amazing,” he said.
Maintaining mental focus
The triumph marked Van de Zandschulp’s second top-10 victory in as many weeks during the American hard-court stretch. When asked what has clicked for him throughout this recent surge, he emphasized the necessity of unwavering concentration against world-class opposition.
“Mentally staying there during the whole match,” Van de Zandschulp explained. “I know if you’re off for just a couple points, just a couple games, it’s—yeah, the guys are going to take advantage. They notice.”
Confident in his current level, he concluded: “So, I think that’s something I’m doing really well at the moment and hopefully I can keep it going.”
Alex De Minaur in 2026
Now ranked no.7, Alex played his last match on the 3rd of September when he was defeated by world no.70 Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-4 7-5 6-2 in the 2nd round of the U.S. Open (draw).
This season De Minaur owns a composed 33-19 win-loss record. De Minaur conquered 1 title in Rotterdam.
ATP U.S. Open - Botic Van De Zandschulp's projected path
Van De Zandschulp at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2026
Ranked world no.70, the Dutch has achieved a composed 24-20 win-loss record in 2026. Botic is currently playing at the U.S. Open where he managed to beat the world no.76 Jan Choinski 6-3 6-1 7-6(5) and the world no.7 Alex De Minaur 6-4 7-5 6-2.
Botic Van De Zandschulp will square off with the world no.37 Zizou Bergs in the 3rd round. In the past, they have never played each other so far on the main tour.
Alex De Minaur and Botic Van De Zandschulp fought against each other 5 times. Their current head to head is 4-1 for De Minaur.
