The 2024 Rotterdam Open continues on Wednesday as Adrey Rublev faces Felix Auger Alliassime and Jannik Sinner faces off against Dutch minnow Botic van de Zandschulp. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 ATP Tour – ATP 500
ABN Amro Open Rotterdam Open
Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Selected Ro16 Matches 14 February
Andrey Rublev 53/100 | Felix Auger Alliassime 29/20
This looks like it could be a barnstorming round of 16 clash, with two former champions looking to add a second Rotterdam title to their names this week. What more is there to be said about Andrey Rublev?
If you were to take Grand Slams out of the equation, he would likely be a top-three player in the world on a regular basis. But the hard-hitting Russian just can’t seem to overcome that Grand Slam quarter-final jinx (defeat to Jannik Sinner in Melbourne made it ten Grand Slam quarter-finals without a win).
It clearly left an impact on Rublev as this will be his first outing since the Aussie Open. But he started this week well enough, dispatching of the unfancied Bergs in straight sets. Let’s get this straight, Andrey Rublev is one of the most devastating players in world tennis in these regular tour-level events.
He already won a title in Hong Kong earlier this season and he reached six finals throughout last season. He won the title here in 2021 and his unrelenting ball-striking prowess is something to behold.
This could be exactly the sort of match that Felix Auger Aliassime needs to get his career back on track. Once touted as a future World No.1, the Canadian has buckled under the weight of expectations and lost his way somewhat.
He was eliminated in the first round of three Slams last season and he certainly needs a career boost. He has shown some minor signs of encouragement of late, reaching a semi-final in Montpelier before a dispiriting early exit in Marseille. But the Canadian should feel really comfortable this week.
He has won all five of his titles on European indoor hardcourts. More importantly, he broke his ugly streak of eight consecutive ATP Finals defeats with victory here back in 2022. This place holds some special significance for Aliassime and he will look to draw confidence from that. He ground out a win in his opener against Cressey and he will need to significantly up his level this time out.
Verdict: Auger Aliassime to win in three sets at 42/10
Rublev leads the head-to-head 3-1. However, it was the Canadian who emerged victorious when they met in the semi-finals here back in 2022. I know this is really going against the grain but I think there could be an upset on the cards here.
Auger Aliassime loves these courts and this could be a statement win for the beleaguered Canadian. He has a similar game to Rublev, relying on a big serve and a potent forehand.
He just needs to cut out those unforced errors. Aliassime is too good to stay in the tennis doldrums forever and this could represent the perfect opportunity for him to bounce back. Back him to win at 29/20 if correct score betting makes you nervous.
Jannik Sinner 1/10 | Botic van de Zandschulp 58/10
The sky appears to be the limit for 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner. Sinner had to do it the hard way in Melbourne, picking up a maiden Grand Slam after a remarkable comeback against Medvedev in the final.
It was really the culmination of a magnificent year of acceleration for the Italian. He reached an incredible seven finals last year (winning four titles). This included a maiden ATP 1000 victory at the Canadian Open.
He was incredible in the closing stages of the season, reaching the final of the season-ending ATP Finals to cement his status as the one to watch this year. Crucially, he has also beaten Novak Djokovic three times in the space of two months.
Sinner hasn’t played competitively since Melbourne and he could take a little while to shake off the ring-rust this week.
28-year-old Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp hasn’t really kicked on following his heroics at the 2021 US Open. To jog your memory, van de Zandschulp became just the third qualifier in history to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open. His tenacity and energy reflected a man who had toiled for some time on the Challenger circuit.
He has struggled to really replicate that sort of form. Curiously, he has managed to reach the final of the Bavarian Tennis Championships for the last two seasons. The Dutchman is a mediocre 3-4 for the season and two of those losses came against players ranked outside the top 80.
And, despite this event being played in his home country, van de Zandshulp has a shocking record in this event. Everything seems a tad inevitable in this encounter.
Verdict: Sinner to win in straight sets at 36/100
This will be their 2nd career meeting, with Sinner easing past the Dutchman en route to his Aussie Open title earlier this season. I can’t go outrageous in two consecutive matches. This is about as clear-cut as you could possibly get. Sinner lost to Medvedev in the final of this event last season and now he arrives in Rotterdam as a bona fide tennis superstar.
