Bizarre Draw for Dutch Tennis Stars in New Masters Tournament After Stellar Week in Canada

Pulse Sports Team 23:17 - 11 August 2026

Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp put Dutch tennis firmly on the map last week. Both friends reached the round of 16 at the Montreal Masters, eliminating world-class players Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev. Now, for the new Masters tournament in Cincinnati, USA, they've been handed a peculiar draw.

Believe it or not, Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp are set to face each other in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters, which kicks off later this week following the qualifiers. The two top Dutch tennis players, ranked 58th (Griekspoor) and 60th (Van de Zandschulp) in the world, will have to battle it out. The winner will meet 23rd seed Brazilian Joao Fonseca in the second round. A potential third-round clash awaits against the winner of Kamil Majchrzak versus a qualifier or Casper Ruud. The Norwegian, in turn, is the eleventh seed in the American city.

Jesper de Jong

Griekspoor and Van de Zandschulp aren't the only Dutch players in the main draw in Cincinnati. Jesper de Jong is also aiming for a strong performance, as this is the final tournament before the US Open begins at the end of August. He has been drawn into an 'American' section of the bracket. First, he'll face Alex Michelsen. Should he defeat the American, Taylor Fritz awaits in the next round. The top-ranked player is the sixth seed in his home country and is therefore a heavy favorite. A potential third-round match could see him face Belgian opponent Zizou Bergs.

Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are also missing this tournament, making Alexander Zverev the top seed in Cincinnati. He will begin his quest to win this Masters tournament with a second-round match against Cameron Norrie or Dino Prizmic. He could potentially face Novak Djokovic in the final. The Serb is playing in the American city for the first time since Wimbledon and is using the tournament as preparation for the US Open.

Women's Draw

No Dutch players are competing in the women's draw. World number one Aryna Sabalenka has something to prove after an early exit in Toronto (Canada). She will play either Talia Gibson or a qualifier in the first round. Anastasia Potapova, Tallon Griekspoor's girlfriend, could potentially face Sloane Stephens, provided the American survives her first-round match against a qualifier.