Tallon Griekspoor's win secures Netherlands' first-ever Davis Cup final spot.©(@TeamNLtweets)
The Netherlands reached the final of the Davis Cup for the first time in history, securing a 2-0 victory over Germany thanks to a determined performance from Tallon Griekspoor. Griekspoor, who fought back from a set down, clinched the decisive victory in the second singles match, overcoming Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-4. His win sealed the Netherlands’ spot in the final, preventing the tie from going to a deciding doubles match.
Earlier in the day, Botic van de Zandschulp put the Dutch team ahead by defeating Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-7 (12-14), 6-3. The world number 80 showed remarkable resilience, needing 10 match points to close out the win in a tense encounter. Van de Zandschulp’s victory followed his historic win over Rafael Nadal earlier in the week, which was the final match of Nadal’s career.
“We believed in ourselves so much; we always felt this was possible, so doing it now feels unbelievable,” said Griekspoor after the match. “It’s more unique that we do it because we don’t have that top-five player, we don’t have that top-10 player, we don’t have that top-15 player—but it’s a team effort,” Netherlands captain Paul Haarhuis said, praising the collective spirit of his squad.
The Netherlands will face either defending champions Italy, led by world number one Jannik Sinner, or Australia in Sunday’s final. Haarhuis remained confident, stating, “We have to believe in ourselves, whoever is against us, that we can do it. It’s our time this year. We’re here, and we’re going to make it count.”
Germany, three-time Davis Cup winners, were looking to reach the final for the first time since their last title in 1993. However, the absence of world number two Alexander Zverev, who opted out of the tournament to recover for the 2025 season, hampered their efforts. Despite this setback, Germany’s performance remained competitive, but ultimately, the Netherlands emerged victorious.
Van de Zandschulp reflected on his recent challenges, including his emotional win over Nadal earlier in the week, saying, “I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday, so everything that comes next maybe is a little bit easier.”
Griekspoor’s victory was sealed with his powerful serve, delivering his 25th ace of the match. This ensured that van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof, who is set to retire after the Davis Cup, did not need to play in the deciding doubles.
Koolhof was celebrated for his contributions to Dutch tennis with a retirement ceremony following the Netherlands’ win. “It has been an incredible journey over the last 15 or 20 years of playing tennis. I did it with a lot of passion,” he said, adding, “We’re not done, I’m not done. We still have a few days to go, and hopefully, we can make something special happen here.”
