The TeamNL Davis Cup team has started a mission in Bologna to reach the Final 8 of the Davis Cup for the third year in a row. To do so, the Dutch team must finish in first or second place in a group with Belgium, Brazil and host country Italy.
The first hurdle presented a stumbling block. The team led by Paul Haarhuis had to acknowledge their superiority in Belgium with a score of 2-1.
Botic van de Zandschulp took on Raphael Collignon in the first match and put TeamNL ahead. The Dutch number two defeated the Belgian debutant 7-5 7-6(6).
In the opening set, Van de Zandschulp was facing a break deficit, but recovered just in time when Collignon served for the set win at 5-4. Three winning games in a row brought Van de Zandschulp the set win with 7-5.
The second set was evenly matched, so a tiebreak had to decide the match. Van de Zandschulp managed to save a set point for the 22-year-old Belgian born in the United States at 5-6. On the first match point, the Dutchman then scored and won the tiebreak and the match: 7-5 7-6(6).
Supported by the 1-0 lead, Tallon Griekspoor started his confrontation with Zizou Bergs.
The 25-year-old Belgian, however, came out of the blocks the best and took the opening set 6-2. The second set had to be decided by a tiebreak. In this, Griekspoor was the most cool-headed and forced a decisive third set with 7-2.
Once again it was Bergs who made the difference at the start of the set. The player from Lommel extended his lead to 4-1 and 5-2. Bergs eventually evened out the international match by beating Griekspoor 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3.
The doubles had to determine a winner in this clash of the low countries. Next to the undisputed Wesley Koolhof, Van de Zandschulp took place. The occasional duo saw the well-rehearsed couple Vliegen/Gille enter the court opposite them and bow in three sets. It became 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 for our southern neighbors.
In the sixth game of the first set, Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp managed to strike the first blow. They cracked the Belgians’ service and that was enough to win the opening set: 6-4.
In the second set Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp could not use their break points, which meant that a tiebreak had to decide the match. In this set the Belgian duo was just a little bit sharper and won the tiebreak 7-5.
An early break in the deciding set on Koolhof’s service was not overcome by the Dutch. Vliegen served his country to victory at 5-4 on love. Belgium thereby took the important first victory in the group.
On Thursday, the Dutch team will play against Brazil. A win against the South American country is crucial to maintain a chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals in Malaga in November. On Sunday, they will meet Italy.
All matches can be watched live via Ziggosport.
