Due to a favorable draw, the path to the second week of Roland Garros is open for Tallon Griekspoor. The best Dutch tennis player is happy about this but also feels a lot of pressure. “The last time, I succumbed to that.”
Griekspoor would prefer to turn off his phone and not look beyond the third round. “But that’s almost impossible. I’m also on social media and read what you guys write,” says the world number 35, pointing to the press.
“Everyone is talking about it. I get texts from friends, and everyone sees that there are opportunities. That’s quite difficult.”
Griekspoor is referring to his favorable draw. After his victories over American Marco Giron and Canadian Gabriel Diallo, the path to the round of sixteen is open.
In the third round, he will face American qualifier Ethan Quinn, the world number 106. “I also know that I am a heavy favorite in that match, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”
‘Must learn to deal with this’
Griekspoor has never succeeded in reaching the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament. The North Hollander has been in the third round four times, three of which were against a top-ten player.
In 2024, Griekspoor was even the ATP tennis player with the most matches against top-ten players. “Fun year,” he wrote sarcastically on X at the time.
“Now I suddenly have luck with my draw, and I am the big favorite. That is new for me. I have to learn to deal with this,” says Griekspoor. “Normally, I always face someone like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, or Alexander Zverev. It’s finally going my way for once.”
Once before, he went into the third round of a Grand Slam as a favorite. Then he fell through the ice against the French wildcard holder Arthur Cazaux. “At the time, I completely succumbed to it.”
Physiotherapist takes over coach role
Two years later, he hopes to have learned from that moment. Although he has to do without a coach in Paris. Griekspoor and his coach Dennis Sporrel parted ways a few weeks before Roland Garros.
“Now I discuss everything with Sebastian,” says Griekspoor, referring to his physiotherapist Sebastian Pisano. The tennis player from Nieuw-Vennep sees him as the most important person. “I prefer to talk to him about it than to hide it and rant on the court.”
“Where I used to sometimes stand on the court like a five-year-old child, I have taken quite a few steps in recent years,” Griekspoor continues. “It is now up to me to show that here as well.”
Griekspoor could be the first Dutchman since Kiki Bertens to reach the fourth round of Roland Garros. The former number four among women was last among the last sixteen in 2020. “But if I want to reach that fourth round, I have to show better tennis. Regardless of who is standing opposite me.”
