2023-09-30 18:15:00
If you take a closer look at the seeding lists of the ATP tournaments, the names of the top-seeded players are often accompanied by their abbreviations ESP, SRB, USA or GER Mistake. However, the unusual three-letter code stands out at the Astana Open taking place this week NED next to the highest ranked player in the eye.
by Florian Heer
last edited: September 30, 2023, 8:46 p.m
© Florian Heer
Tallon Griekspoor sees himself finally having arrived on the ATP tour.
By Florian Heer from Astana
Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor is number 1 at an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career. And you have to look back a little further in the history books to find a fellow countryman who also led such a field. Exactly 20 years ago, Sjeng Schalken was the last top-seeded Dutchman in Moscow.
Best ranked player as a new challenge
“Sure, I also feel a little pressure and that’s why I may not have played my best tennis today,” said Griekspoor, commenting on the new and special constellation for him following his hard-fought opening victory at the Astana Open over the Japanese qualifier Sho Shimakbukuro on Saturday .
The number 24 in the world rankings can look back on a very successful season so far. In Pune, India and at the home game in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Griekspoor celebrated his first two tournament victories on the ATP tour. At first, the transition from the Challenger circuit to the big stage of men’s tennis didn’t seem to be that easy for him. In 2021, Griekspoor set a new record with eight Challenger titles won in a season, but struggled at the ATP level the following year.
“Last year I had some difficulties on the tour. I played well in the first five or six months and then I didn’t win many matches,” said the 27-year-old in the Kazakh capital. “However, I also lost a lot of close matches , in which I had a good level. I just didn’t win. At some point the confidence was completely gone. When I look back on this year now, following winning two titles, the confidence is there. Now I really believe that I almost “I can beat anyone. I feel like my ranking reflects that and I’m right there.”
The tournament world is getting bigger
Griekspoor sees reasons for the teething problems, among other things, in the tournament planning, which is new and unusual for him.
“In my first year on the tour, everything was new to me. The entire calendar was new. I travelled a lot. At Challenger level I only traveled within Europe and suddenly I had to travel to Indian Wells, Miami or China. I also struggled a bit with the time changes. Now I’m used to it, I’m getting stronger mentally and physically, and my tennis is getting better too. Overall, I have matured into a better player. Looking back, I’m very happy with how things went at the Challenger level and even at the beginning in the Futures. I learned a lot there,” says Griekspoor and is now leading the field at an ATP event.
“That’s something special, but at the same time it’s a good sign. I hope that this will be the case more often in the future and that I can benefit from it this week too.”
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