"Too many bad days" - After 'the worst match' of his life at French Open, 28-year-old Botic van de Zandschulp considers surprise retirement decision
Botic van de Zandschulp, only 28 years old, is considering a surprise retirement decision after his opening-round loss at the 2024 French Open. A former World No. 22, the Dutchman is now languishing outside the top 100 in the ATP rankings after a poor run of form.
Van de Zandschulp made a name for himself at the 2021 US Open, reaching the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career before losing to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev. He is yet to win a title on tour, however, having finished runner-up twice to Holger Rune at the Munich Open.
In 2024 so far, the World No. 102 has a 9-13 win/loss record, with first-round exits at both the Australian Open and the French Open. At Roland Garros, he fell to Fabio Fognini in straight sets, losing 1-6, 1-6, 5-7.
Speaking to Dutch media after the defeat, Botic van de Zandschulp appeared dejected, stating that he does not look forward to competitions at all anymore. The Dutchman complained about having "too many bad days," adding that he is wondering whether he wants to continue playing after all this.
"I don’t look forward to competitions at all anymore. I have been asking myself more and more lately whether I want to continue. You have to do work that you enjoy. Everyone has a bad day every now and then. But if there are too many [bad days], then you have to ask yourself whether you want to continue," Botic van de Zandschulp said (via Ubitennis).
As for the loss against Fognini at the French Open, he called it the "worst match" in his life. He went on to lament the difficulties of being a plaer on tour, having to travel constantly for more than half the year.
"It was the worst match I have played in my life. Of course, it is now fresh after the match. That plays a role in my mind, but the thoughts of quitting have been there for a long time. It is not an easy life as a tennis player. You really live your life, play thirty weeks a year and travel from pillar to post," Botic van de Zandschulp said.
"When I get up in the morning, I no longer look forward to matches" - Botic van de Zandschulp after French Open exit
Botic van de Zandsculp, in the interview to Dutch media after his French Open exit, admitted that he would prefer to stay home and charge himself. However, he rued having to play matches instead because of the fear that he will get passed by others in the rankings if he did that.
The Dutchman, interestingly, added that he had no issues with training, as he considered them "great days," only to end up not looking forward to match days afterwards.
"If you don’t play, someone else will pass you by [in the rankings]. That’s why I now play extra tournaments instead of charging myself at home. I like the training. Those are great days. But when I get up in the morning, I no longer look forward to the matches at all," he said.