Tallon Griekspoor wants to take the form he showed at the Mallorca grass tournament to Wimbledon. The best tennis player in the Netherlands had a dream week and took his third ATP title on the island he loves on Saturday.
“I had to miss a few weeks, but I couldn’t have wished for a better week to return after an injury. I feel good and look forward to Monday,” said Griekspoor, just back from an abdominal muscle injury, shortly after his won final against the Frenchman Corentin Moutet: 7-5 and 7-6 (3).
With that, the new number 29 in the world was referring to his first-round match at Wimbledon. On Monday, he will already face the American Jenson Brooksby in London.
“We will definitely celebrate this title, but a little later because I am already playing in 48 hours. I will go there as soon as possible and hope to recover as well as possible. This is a perfect birthday present, because Wednesday is my birthday. I hope that I am still active in London then.”
For the now 28-year-old Griekspoor, the Mallorca tournament felt a bit like a home tournament. “I know some people here, because I have trained here a lot in the past,” said Griekspoor, who previously worked with Dennis Schenk, who lives in Mallorca. “I feel at home here and like to come to Mallorca.”
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Griekspoor wins ATP tournament Mallorca and shows top form towards Wimbledon
‘This was quite a good restart’
The title is extra special because the tournament was marked by the reunion with the Belgian coach Kristof Vliegen, with whom he had already worked together for two periods in the past.
“We decided on a short break, but this was quite a good restart. You can stay longer this time, because it has been shown again that you have a bit of a view on tennis,” said Griekspoor with a smile. “I also want to thank you, also Sebastian Pisano (physical coach) from the bottom of my heart.”
At the end of last year he broke up with Vliegen, but last week it was decided to work together again. Griekspoor and Vliegen have a strong bond together and the Belgian also assisted him when the North Hollander won two titles in 2023 (Pune and Rosmalen).
The conditions were not easy in Mallorca. The course was quite bare at the end of the week and it was also preferably 35 degrees Celsius.
“It was super hot again today. And if you’re nervous, it feels twice as hot. Respect also for the audience and the ball children that you persevered so well in this heat. I want to thank everyone for a wonderful week.”
Griekspoor back in top 30 after almost eleven months
Thanks to his victory in Mallorca, Griekspoor rises from 34th to 29th place in the world rankings. He is back in the top 30 after nine months. In February, Griekspoor even fell outside the top 50, but has since found his way up again. Griekspoor’s highest position ever is 21st position, in June 2023.
A ranking in the top 30 is important at the Grand Slams, where the best 32 players have a protected status and cannot meet each other in the first two rounds.