Alcaraz Fights Back to Edge Van de Zandschulp in Rotterdam Opener
Carlos Alcaraz had to dig deep in his opening match at the Rotterdam Open, battling past Dutch wildcard Botic van de Zandschulp in a tough three-setter on Tuesday.
Sagar 
The top-seeded Spaniard, playing for the first time since his quarter-final exit at the Australian Open, eventually prevailed 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-1 in a nearly three-hour marathon.
"It was a really difficult match. I had to fight through some tough moments," Alcaraz admitted afterward. "I started off nervous, made some mistakes, and let him control the match early on."
Van de Zandschulp, who shocked Alcaraz at last year’s US Open, looked poised for another upset on the slow indoor courts in Rotterdam. The Dutchman’s powerful game, combined with some unforced errors from Alcaraz, saw him earn multiple breaks of serve. Frustration crept into the Spaniard’s game as he vented at his team and exchanged words with the chair umpire.
The home favorite had a golden chance to take the first set when he served at 5-4 but squandered a set point with a costly double fault. Sensing an opportunity, Alcaraz pounced, breaking back to level at 5-5 before dominating the tiebreak with a series of winners.
The second set remained competitive until a loose Alcaraz backhand gifted Van de Zandschulp a crucial break at 4-2. The Dutchman made no mistake this time, serving out the set at 5-3 to the delight of the home crowd.
But just when the match seemed to be heading towards a dogfight, Alcaraz shifted gears. A pair of double faults and an errant forehand from Van de Zandschulp gave the world number two an early break in the decider.
The momentum swung completely, and Alcaraz raced to a 3-0 lead before breaking again to set up an easy finish. A delicate forehand drop volley sealed the win at 5-1, with visible relief on his face as he shook hands at the net.
"It was a bit up and down for me today," Alcaraz reflected. "I need to work on my game and improve for the next round."
The 20-year-old is chasing history as he looks to become the first Spaniard to lift the Rotterdam title, but his path won’t be easy. Second seed Daniil Medvedev, a former champion here, battled past veteran Stan Wawrinka in a grueling first-round match on Monday.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur also made a strong start, easing past Belgium’s David Goffin 6-2, 6-4. De Minaur, last year’s runner-up to Jannik Sinner, will face Czech teenager Jakub Mensik next.Another former Rotterdam champion, Andrey Rublev, had no trouble dispatching China’s Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-4 to book his spot in the second round.
