Botic van de Zandschulp stages epic comeback to reach US Open quarterfinals

Botic van de Zandschulp saved match point after losing the opening two sets, then completed one of the US Open’s biggest comebacks to reach the quarterfinals.

The Dutchman defeated French lucky loser Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4 in five hours and 13 minutes. The match ranked as the fourth-longest in US Open history. Van de Zandschulp had already upset Australian Alex de Minaur in the second round at Flushing Meadows.

Gea entered the main draw after 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud withdrew with a back injury. He was seeking to become the first lucky loser to reach a men’s singles Grand Slam quarterfinal. After taking the first two sets, Gea held match point in the third-set tiebreak, but van de Zandschulp saved it and turned the match around.

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I think this is probably better than the first quarterfinal I made here.

“I think this is probably better than the first quarterfinal I made here,” van de Zandschulp said, referring to his other US Open quarterfinal appearance in 2021. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I think tomorrow it’s going to be a great feeling.”

Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, the No. 28 seed, beat No. 24 seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to become the first Belgian man to reach the US Open quarterfinals. He will face Karen Khachanov, who beat American No. 14 seed Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4. Top seed Alexander Zverev was scheduled to play Italy’s No. 21 seed Luciano Darderi in the final match of the day.

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It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I think tomorrow it’s going to be a great feeling.