2025 Rotterdam Open ATP 500 R32 - [1] Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (SPN) v/s Botic van de Zandschulp (NLD)

[Rafa4LifeEver]

H2H - Alcaraz leads 2-1
HC H2H - Alcaraz leads 2-1
Last meeting - US Open 2024 R64, BVDZ def. CA 61 75 64

Who wins? How many sets?
Vote & predict here.

 

[Aabye5]

H2H - Alcaraz leads 2-1
HC H2H - Alcaraz leads 2-1
Last meeting - US Open 2024 R64, BVDZ def. CA 61 75 64

Who wins? How many sets?
Vote & predict here.

Blockbuster first round

 

[dking68]

BVDZ takes this. If not, he will be eliminated by FAA

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

BVDZ takes this. If not, he will be eliminated by FAA

Alcaraz is extremely vulnerable on HCs except for Indian wells, so I'd not be surprised.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Blockbuster first round

Yeah

 

[Pheasant]

van de Z wins!!!!!!



7 games total in a comprehensive beatdown by Alcaraz.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

van de Z wins!!!!!!



7 games total in a comprehensive beatdown by Alcaraz.

Beatdown by Alcaraz and HCs rarely go together except for IW.

 

[Pheasant]

Beatdown by Alcaraz and HCs rarely go together except for IW.

True. But one can hope. Plus, I only see Alcaraz getting better on hard courts. This cat is only 21.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

True. But one can hope. Plus, I only see Alcaraz getting better on hard courts. This cat is only 21.

Surely, he can get better. He is at the same stage that Sinner was in February of 2023; and without any doubt is way more accomplished on this surface than the juicing carrot was at that age.

If he can fix the serve, rest all will fall in place.

 

[dking68]

Surely, he can get better. He is at the same stage that Sinner was in February of 2023; and without any doubt is way more accomplished on this surface than the juicing carrot was at that age.

If he can fix the serve, rest all will fall in place.

Thing is, Sinner had way more room for improvement and had won multiple indoor titles prior to February 2023. Sinner 2023 >> Alcaraz 2025 indoors

 

[McGradey]

I expect Alcaraz to improve as the season progresses and the serve and racquet adjustments continue to bed in, but some poor losses will likely happen along the way. This could be one of them, but I don't see it this time around. Charles in 3.

 

[albertobra]

DF on SP. CA ties 55.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Alcaraz saves set point, levels the set and now looks as though he's going to hold for 6-5. Pressure will be on Botic to force the tiebreak if he does.

 

[TheSlicer]

Alcaraz steals the set from botic, he was in error machine Mode for most of the set, just on time he starts to play incredible, botic has weapons, specially on this surface, but he is the perfect example of a good player that plays his worst in the important moments

 

[TheSlicer]

There has to be said that Carlos has been sick since he came back from Australia, has has only trained a couple of days, and this is a new court for him, and indoors, so seeing the path he has to the title, is gonna be a difficult one, but he needs matches

 

[Pheasant]

Wow. Alcaraz has looked rusty until this set. After reading the comments, I didn't realize that he had been battling an illness.

Hopefully, Alcaraz plays himself into good enough form to make a deep run here. That would be sweet.

 

[Tallawah Tennis]

............Hopefully, Alcaraz plays himself into good enough form to make a deep run here. That would be sweet.

Heh, heh, man. No point in asking 'why?' when the kid takes the scenic route to the win. Instead, like you, I hope he'll make inroads. Good to see Carlitos playing again.

Well played by Botic in the first couple of sets, putting up a robust challenge. Impressed by the Dutch crowd, who seem well mannered. Measured support for Botic, no rowdiness detected.

 

[McGradey]

Watched the match, entertaining stuff. Alcaraz's backhand still doesn't look great to me. It's a bludgeon with plenty of power, but he doesn't seem to be able to use it intelligently, he doesn't get the nasty sharp angles or change directions as well as Sinner or Djoko — rather he just smacks it really hard, mostly CC, with the odd DTL winner. The shot looks kind of stiff and prone to errors; iirc he changed his backhand swing/prep sometime in '23/'24, and I'm not sure that was the right call. But we'll see.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Thing is, Sinner had way more room for improvement and had won multiple indoor titles prior to February 2023. Sinner 2023 >> Alcaraz 2025 indoors

Alcaraz too has a big room for improvement.
Just look at how far the improvement in shot selection has catapulted Sinner. (Ofcourse doping too)

 

[dking68]

Alcaraz too has a big room for improvement.
Just look at how far the improvement in shot selection has catapulted Sinner. (Ofcourse doping too)

Then show it, AO - QF, QF

He won less titles in 2024

In 2024 he won less matches than in 2023, despite winning the extra slam. I predict a false dawn will appear in his exploit to defend the channel slam and he will fail to do so. Sinner will defeat him on SW19 lawns or even at RG.

The only reason why he was able to win the channel slam last year was for 2 reasons:

1. Oldovic
2. Injured Sinner

He played better in 2023 across all surfaces than he did in 2024, and the false dawn will be shown in 2025.

 

[TheSlicer]

People lose a lot of faith in Carlitos in this part of the year, i expect heavy ass licking as the season progresses

 

[Move]

Heh, heh, man. No point in asking 'why?' when the kid takes the scenic route to the win. Instead, like you, I hope he'll make inroads. Good to see Carlitos playing again.

Well played by Botic in the first couple of sets, putting up a robust challenge. Impressed by the Dutch crowd, who seem well mannered. Measured support for Botic, no rowdiness detected.

This match the crowd was very good. But few years ago the late match of Rune vs Gijs Brouwer there was a really nasty bunch of people provoking Rune. Rune of course reacted and blew the match

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Then show it, AO - QF, QF

He won less titles in 2024

In 2024 he won less matches than in 2023, despite winning the extra slam. I predict a false dawn will appear in his exploit to defend the channel slam and he will fail to do so. Sinner will defeat him on SW19 lawns or even at RG.

The only reason why he was able to win the channel slam last year was for 2 reasons:

1. Oldovic
2. Injured Sinner

He played better in 2023 across all surfaces than he did in 2024, and the false dawn will be shown in 2025.

The only reason why Sinner was able to win 3 slams so far

1) Clostebol
2) inconsistent Alcaraz

Keep coping.

 

[dking68]

The only reason why Sinner was able to win 3 slams so far

1) Clostebol
2) inconsistent Alcaraz

Keep coping.

Explain the 2R loss at USO and the loss to Oldovic? Is this his fault?

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Explain the 2R loss at USO and the loss to Oldovic? Is this his fault?

You're contradicting yourself, do you even realise that?
Oh, and explain Clostebol doping and a lame shítty excuse of wound rubbing by physio. Definitely his fault & he is a certified doper.

 

[dking68]

You're contradicting yourself, do you even realise that?
Oh, and explain Clostebol doping and a lame shítty excuse of wound rubbing by physio. Definitely his fault & he is a certified doper.

Tell me one thing Alcaraz has improved on in the last 12-18 months

 

[Move]

Tell me one thing Alcaraz has improved on in the last 12-18 months

Less earcupping

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Tell me one thing Alcaraz has improved on in the last 12-18 months

Zero.
A big fat zero.

Although if you want to be extremely picky, you could say his first serve placement has improved by a hair, but that's about it, really.

 

[dking68]

Zero.
A big fat zero.

Although if you want to be extremely picky, you could say his first serve placement has improved by a hair, but that's about it, really.

Glad you’re honest, I still think he was a better player in 2023 than he was in 2024

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Glad you’re honest, I still think he was a better player in 2023 than he was in 2024

Not necessarily better, but more consistent for sure.