It was a result that sent shockwaves through the tennis world: Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) at the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal, writing a small but significant chapter of personal history. For the Dutchman, currently ranked 70th in the world, it was his first win over Medvedev in five career meetings — he had come up short in all four previous encounters. Fourth-seeded Medvedev, meanwhile, must absorb yet another painful defeat in what has been a troubled season.
Dominant first set, dramatic tiebreak
Van de Zandschulp came out firing. He built an early 3-0 lead in the second set and never lost his thread. He took the opening set comfortably, 6-3. Medvedev, who was plagued by nine double faults throughout the match, could find few answers against an opponent who was sharp and tactically varied. The world No. 6's serving figures fell well short of his own standards: he won just 46 percent of service points, while his break point conversion rate sat at a mere 25 percent.
Medvedev fought back in the second set, clawing his way to a tiebreak after trailing and briefly raising hopes of a turnaround. But van de Zandschulp held his nerve. He took the tiebreak 7-5, converting his break points at an impressive 75 percent across the match and capitalising on uncharacteristic errors from his opponent. The final scoreline — 6-3, 7-6 — was a genuine statement performance over two sets.
Tactical adjustment proves decisive
Van de Zandschulp himself pointed to a deliberate tactical shift as the key to his victory. Rather than defaulting to the baseline exchanges Medvedev thrives on, the Dutchman consistently mixed up his game and stepped outside his comfort zone, constantly posing new problems for his opponent. The strategy paid dividends: van de Zandschulp won 54 percent of total points and 55 percent of return games, controlling large stretches of the match.
On the other side of the net, the result is another reflection of Medvedev's difficult season. After reaching the semifinal in Rome, he was eliminated in the opening round at the French Open and fell in the third round at Wimbledon. In Montreal — where the draw is missing top names Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic — a deep run had seemed well within his reach.
A landmark win and what comes next
According to the ATP, this victory is the most significant of van de Zandschulp's career against a player of Medvedev's calibre. He had advanced to this round by defeating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round. By progressing further at one of the most prestigious hardcourt events on the calendar — and a key US Open tune-up — the Dutchman is making a compelling case that he is a genuine threat on this surface.
