Botic van de Zandschulp, a proven killer, Novak Djokovic’s eyes are shocked at the Australian Open | ATP Tour

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Van de Zandschulp, proven killer, eyes Djokovic shock at Australian Open

The Dutchman, who will face Djokovic on Saturday, talks about great pedigree

January 23, 2026

Dismissing the sport’s elite is never going to be easy, but Botic van de Zandschulp has shown time and time again that he has the faith, and the game, to trouble the best at the big stages.

The 30-year-old Dutchman will look to make another major comeback on Saturday, when he faces 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the third round at Melbourne Park. It’s a tough assignment, but not unusual for Van de Zandschulp, who beat members of the ATP No. 1 Club Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal within the last two years – and held a recent victory over Djokovic himself.

“It’s always nice to play one of the best matches. It’s a good match as well, I know I can play well when it’s time and I’ve proven that in the past,” Van de Zandschulp told ATPTour.com in Melbourne. “I know what I’m capable of doing… It gives you a boost of confidence when you see these names equal. Yes, you’re scared, but if I continue with the tournament and if I have some matches, I feel like I can beat a lot of players.

“Matches like this against Novak, if you can enjoy yourself during them, it’s a really good event.”

Van de Zandschulp won his last Lexus ATP Head2Head match with Djokovic last year in Indian Wells, a match he remembers well. Entering the main event as the underdog, the Dutchman produced a decidedly clinical performance to pull off the upset.

“I didn’t feel good at the time, but now I feel a little better tennis wise,” said Van de Zandschulp, reflecting on their Indian Wells match. “Hopefully that helps… Here in Australia, it’s one of his favorite tournaments, one of his favorite courts, so it’s going to be a different test. He was struggling there. [in Indian Wells]. The conditions were difficult: very hot, very pleasant. “

Djokovic is not the only Van de Zandschulp to have been tested – and dismissed – in recent seasons. He stunned Alcaraz in the second round of the 2024 US Open and, two months later, famously ended Nadal’s career in the Davis Cup Finals.

Each victory gives a different kind of confirmation, strengthening his ability not only to match the special shot of the sport, but also to manage the time and size of the event.

“Beating Alcaraz in five sets is not an easy task, but beating him 3-0 is something I did not think about before entering the court,” said Van de Zandschulp. “[Beating] Rafa was also special because it is not often in tennis that you know who you will play a month in advance.

“I found out that it will be his last tournament and that we will play against Spain in the quarters. If he is going to play, I will play for him, so I thought a lot about the game where you usually don’t have time. That was a very difficult game for me.”

Rafael Nadal, Botic van de Zandschulp” style=”width:100%;” src=”

When Van de Zandschulp steps into the Rod Laver Arena this weekend, it will be his third straight year competing on the grandest stage. He fell to Jannik Sinner and Alex de Minaur in a first-round encounter at the previous two main court events. Those were the events that helped take away the novelty of the event, even though it hurt.

Now, the Dutchman is back in the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2022, having dropped one set en route to defeating 27th seeds Brandon Nakashima and Shang Juncheng.

“I’m very happy about it. It’s been a while since I won a match here,” said Van de Zandschulp. “Two years ago, I had a tough draw with Sinner and De Minaur in the first round.

“It’s good that I’ve already played there [Rod Laver Arena] as it is not a new thing, but it will still be a big challenge.”

Part of that renewed confidence can be traced back to a more stable past – a rarity in recent years. With Davis Cup commitments reaching November, Van de Zandschulp often has limited time to reorganize physically and mentally.

“A few years ago, we played the Davis Cup in November, so the off-season was very, very busy,” he added. “Now I’ve had three weeks off, five weeks of training, so I think that’s been good for me, especially mentally, to be home for a while. I’ve really enjoyed my season and I’ve started fresh.”

Against Djokovic on his most decorated stage, Van de Zandschulp will once again come off as the underdog. However, history shows that this is a role he knows he must accept.