🎾 ATP Hertogenbosch – First Round
🇳🇱 Botic van de Zandschulp vs 🇮🇹 Mattia Bellucci
🧠 Form & Context
Botic van de Zandschulp- 🇳🇱 Playing on home soil, but enters in poor form: 10–15 overall in 2025 and a 4-match losing streak coming in.
- ❌ 0–3 on grass in 2024, and has never gone beyond the 1st round at Hertogenbosch in three main draw appearances.
- 📉 Struggled across surfaces this season and crashed out in R1 at Roland-Garros vs Emilio Nava.
- 🔁 Despite talent and weapons, his confidence seems low, and he’s become vulnerable early in matches.
- 🧱 Slight edge in form: 11–18 in 2025, but his wins this year include Draper, Martinez, and Herbert.
- 🌱 Grass is not his strength: just 1–9 career record on the surface, including 0–1 this year (loss to Landaluce).
- 📈 Comes in with slightly more match rhythm, with deeper runs at Monte Carlo QF and some solid Challenger results.
- ⚠️ Still inexperienced at ATP level and making his Hertogenbosch debut—needs to adjust to the surface fast.
🔍 Match Breakdown
This is a tricky one to call—not because either player is flying, but because both are searching for answers. Van de Zandschulp has the advantage of playing at home and has more raw power and grass experience, even if results haven’t followed.
Bellucci, on the other hand, brings more momentum in general but historically struggles with fast courts and low bounce. His lefty forehand and counterpunching game may not translate well to grass unless he finds quick depth and good movement on the surface.
Van de Zandschulp’s serve and forehand should do more damage on grass, but his current level is shaky enough to give Bellucci a real chance if the Italian starts strong and keeps the pressure on the Dutchman's second serve.
🔮 Prediction
With both players low on grass confidence, this match likely comes down to margins and execution under pressure. Van de Zandschulp may be struggling, but his slight edge in experience and the home crowd could help tip it.
✅ Pick: Van de Zandschulp to win in 3 sets – expect swings, errors, and crowd factor🎯 Bonus leans:
- Set betting: Van de Zandschulp 2–1
- Over/Under: Over 22.5 games
- Handicap: Bellucci +2.5 games (hedge option if expecting a close battle)
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