The man who defeated tennis’ big names but has never lifted an ATP Trophy

The first of those came at the 2024 US Open. Van de Zandschulp faced Alcaraz, who was already a two-time Slam champion that year and a heavy favourite. The Dutchman was ranked just 74th at the time, but he shocked everyone by beating Alcaraz in straight sets, handing him his earliest Grand Slam exit in over three years.

This win was even more remarkable considering Van de Zandschulp had been thinking about retiring earlier that year due to struggles with injuries and confidence.

Though he won only three of his next ten matches after New York, another major upset wasn’t far off. The Davis Cup Finals were announced as Nadal’s farewell event, drawing huge attention to every match he played.

Spain faced the Netherlands in Malaga, and Van de Zandschulp was chosen to play singles against Nadal. Despite being overlooked again, he beat Nadal in straight sets in what became Nadal’s final professional match.

The following season didn’t start well for Van de Zandschulp; he didn’t win a match until mid-February. But Indian Wells brought another big moment when he defeated Djokovic as a lucky loser entry into the draw.

While Van de Zandschulp hasn’t yet captured an ATP title, these headline-making victories have carved out a unique chapter in his career — one built on unexpected moments rather than tournament wins.

How Botic van de Zandschulp has never won an ATP title

It might seem surprising that someone who has beaten Alcaraz, Nadal and Djokovic in such a short span still hasn’t managed to win an ATP title, but that’s the reality for Van de Zandschulp.

He’s come close before. In fact, he’s reached three finals so far in his career.

Two of those finals were at the BMW Open in Munich, both against Holger Rune, and each ended very differently for Van de Zandschulp.

The first ended early when he was forced to retire due to injury in the opening set. The second was even tougher – he had four match points while leading 5-2 in the final set but couldn’t convert any of them.

His most recent chance came at Winston-Salem in August of this year, where he lost to Marton Fucsovics in straight sets on hard court.

Van de Zandschulp isn’t the highest-ranked player without a title, but there’s no doubt he stands out as one of the better ones still looking for his first piece of silverware.

Sitting at world number 84 right now, he’ll need a run of form soon if he’s going to break through that barrier anytime soon.