US OPEN

September 5, 2021

Botic Van De Zandschulp

Press Conference

B. VAN DE ZANDSCHULP/D. Schwartzman

6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Can you please just give us your thoughts on the big win today.

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, first of all, I was surprised I won the first set for the first time here. I have to say I played in the first three sets till two sets for me, 4-2, I played pretty good, played flawlessly, I think.

From there on, yeah, I start thinking maybe you can win the match, started to get a little bit nervous. Yeah, lost the third in 7-5 and in the fourth, yeah, same thing happened, I think, 5-4, two match points, then lost again 7-5.

Yeah, I thought in the fifth I played my best tennis of the match. Played aggressively, and, yeah, I think in the end I deserved to win, I think.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Can you please pronounce your name exactly as you would be doing in Dutch so we have a correct...

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: You really want me?

Q. Yes.

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: The last name or the first as well?

Q. The whole lot.

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Botic Van De Zandschulp. It's pretty tough, huh? (Laughter.)

Q. What is your sort of level of surprise that you're into the last eight of this tournament? Three matches from the title.

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Well, I started in quallies here. Didn't really expect before the tournament that I would make the quallies here. Of course I won like two rounds, one in Wimbledon, one in Roland Garros. Yeah, beat one good player, Hurkacz I beat in Roland Garros, and so I knew that I could beat players who are ranked 20 or 10 in the world. But I didn't do it like this often, this consistently.

I think I'm playing really consistently here, showing some good tennis throughout the whole tournament. So, yeah, that's new for me.

Q. You're kind of the ultimate qualifier for the majors. Why is it in the majors and not in the other ATP-level events?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Didn't play in many of the other ATP events. Played most of all challengers. I have to say when I'm playing against guys who are better than me or better in general, my level is also increasing. So I prefer to play against better guys. Yeah, I started playing better myself.

Q. What were your alternate plans, if you didn't go on this magical run, what were you going to do? Were you going back to Holland? What was your...

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, I had to sign in for tournaments before tomorrow, and it changes every time I win a match more.

Yeah, I don't really know what I'm gonna do. First of all, I have Davis Cup in Uruguay. So I don't know if I go directly from here to there or first go to Holland. But that's the first thing on the calendar for me.

Q. Right, but if you didn't qualify for this, were you flying right out of New York or were you going to hang out here?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: No, I probably would have fly back to play at a tournament in Europe if I would have lost, yeah.

Q. How would you describe your level of fitness at this point? As you said, you come from the qualifiers, play more tennis than many of the quarterfinalists. How do you feel physically?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: I have to say I feel pretty good. I think like today I managed to get through, and, yeah, in the fifth set I think I was physically also good and maybe physically a little bit better than him even.

So, yeah, at the moment I am feeling good, but I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow.

Q. One of the wonderful things about our sport is just new faces emerge in a special way. Could you just say two or three things about your story, your journey that would be informative to us that would let us know how you have emerged.

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: You mean like the last years, or...

Q. Yeah, just how you have been trying to emerge over these past years in the game. Also, what was the lowest point when you thought maybe you would never make it?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, I think I started at 20, when I was 20 with playing, because I had to finish school. In the beginning I was injured, so I really started at 20.

Yeah, I was like 300 of the world back then. Then the ranking changed. I don't know if you remember, but you had like two separate rankings, like ITF ranking, ATP ranking. So I first had to get points on the ITF ranking to qualify for the ATP rankings.

Yeah, I did that in half a year and was (indiscernible) in the world I think from the ITF. Then after half a year they changed their system again and they made it one ranking again.

From that point, I started to play good in challengers and, yeah, I think ended that year at 200. When I was 150 and ready to play the Grand Slams and the qualifying, COVID started. Yeah, with the points now it's tough to get up, and you really have to make a lot of points to increase ranking.

And, yeah, I have to say before I came here, I did pretty good this year. But, yeah, you didn't see it really in the rankings. But then the race I think I lost 80 or something. But, yeah, right now I'm making so much points that, yeah, now I'm top 100 and kind of play different tournaments, and hopefully I can play them.

Q. You have beaten No. 11 moments ago, and now you face No. 2. How would you describe what you have done and what lies ahead?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, I think what I have done for me, it's amazing that I beat No. 11 here, especially in a match like this. For me, it was the first time in the big stadium. The crowd was amazing here.

The next match is maybe going to be on Arthur Ashe, I think. It's gonna be even more people there, so, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. I don't think you have played eight matches in a tournament before, looking back at your history. How are you doing on shoes, socks, clothes, is Lacoste helping you out?

BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, they are helping me out. They have good laundry service here, so I can get it washed every day.

Yeah, so I have enough stuff for the rest of the matches.