Botic van de Zandschulp has kicked off his 2026 tennis season with a notable victory at the Hong Kong Open, defeating Jan-Lennard Struff in a hard-fought three-set match, finishing the encounter at 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. This win marks a positive start for Van de Zandschulp, ranked 75th in the world, who began the season under the guidance of his new coach, Raemon Sluiter.
Van de Zandschulp faced German qualifier Struff in the opening round. He started strong by breaking Struff’s serve early, leading to a first set triumph of 6-3, aided by his ability to save three break points. Although he maintained his momentum initially, the second set saw him falter when Struff dominated, winning an impressive 13 out of 17 return points and capitalizing on Van de Zandschulp’s seven unforced errors, ultimately winning the set 6-1.
However, the Dutch player regained his composure in the decisive third set, showcasing his skills with six winners and clinching 17 out of 24 service points, resulting in a dominating 6-1 conclusion to the match. Van de Zandschulp’s next challenge lies ahead as he prepares to face second seed and world number 11, Alexander Bublik, on Thursday, January 8th.
In contrast, fellow Dutch competitor Jesper de Jong faced disappointment in his 2026 season opener, suffering a straight-sets defeat to Canadian Gabriel Diallo with scores of 6-4, 7-6 (7). De Jong’s performance at the ATP 250 tournament followed his second-round elimination at the Paris Masters last October. Despite an improved effort in the second set, where he managed to push Diallo to a tiebreak, he couldn’t secure the victory and fell short after Diallo’s remarkable recovery from set points.
Looking ahead, Hong Kong also welcomes Wild Card Chak Lam Coleman Wong, who advanced after defeating Mariano Navona, indicating an exciting tournament full of potential match-ups. Overall, while Van de Zandschulp celebrates a successful start, De Jong will be looking to bounce back in upcoming matches as the tournament unfolds.