Van Reethoven survived seven match points in his memorable first appearance at the US Open

Tim van Reethoven won’t soon forget his US Open debut. It looked completely wrong against Zhizhen Zhang, but the Chinese didn’t use any of the seven match points he had. Van Reethoven fought his way into the second round in New York with an impressive comeback – 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (9), 1-6 and 4-6.

Van Riethoven, who has had multiple injuries in the past, was upbeat a day before his US Grand Slam debut. At the ATP tournament in Indianapolis last month he was shot in the back again, but in recent days he “hit them pretty well”.

The man from Rosendal fought back, served well, tightened his fists now and then and had chances in the first three sets. But Zhang (ATP-137) played hard, staying calm when needed and often beating his weak moments with a powerful serve.

Van Riethoven had a break in the first set at an unpleasant moment: it became 5-3 and dragged Zhang into the set. In the second set tiebreak, it was very important for Van Reethoven, after the players broke each other back and forth, it was even at first. But after a shot from Zhang at 2-3 in a standing runner, Van Riethoven looked a bit lost. The tiebreaker went to the Chinese.

After his injury, Van Reethoven had to wait to see how he would participate in this match, he said afterwards. “I was nervous and having a hard time dealing with his powerful balls. I went out on my own and started playing better, serving better too.”

Starting the third set knowing that you can only win five long sets is not fun. At 6-5, Van Riethoven had difficulties in his own service. Zhang got three match points, used a zero and Van Reethoven narrowly managed the tiebreak.

Van Riethoven quickly fell 5-1. But with one leg in the second round, Zhang got on the nerves. Van Reethoven came back to score 5-4, but he couldn’t stop Zhang from getting two more match points. The Chinese didn’t use it either. Did you work on point six? number. Seventh? Well no.

Then Van Reethoven showed how to do it, won the tiebreak and the match turned around.

After losing the third set, Zhang disappeared from the track for minutes. His comeback was not glorious as it was after half an hour 2-2 in sets. Van Reethoven passed the waltz on Zhang 6-1. The Chinese asked the doctor to come to the right track to treat his left knee and the new armpit did not enter the armpit position.

Van Reethoven quickly broke his opponent and did not give up. At 5-4, world number 117 earned his first match point after nearly four hours of play. And that was enough for Van Reethoven. In the second round, Van Rijthoven had a big task: Norway’s seven-ranked Casper Ruud.

Van Reethoven said afterwards that he was “tired and stiff”, but “above all rejoiced greatly” because he was able to reverse his impotence. the secret? “I especially enjoyed it on the track, and then this one comes along. The miracles were already there when I won Rosmalen and it’s still not over yet.”