Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp completed their dream week at the European Open in style Sunday when they defeated second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

In a hard-fought clash, the Dutchmen fired eight aces and held their nerve in the crucial moments, pulling away from 3/3 in the Match Tie-break to triumph after 68 minutes in Antwerp.

[ATP APP]

Before arriving in Belgium, Griekspoor and van de Zandschulp had not won a tour-level match as a team this season, holding a 0-4 record. However, they dropped just one set en route to the title as they turned the tables in dramatic fashion in Antwerp.

The 26-year-old Griekspoor and the 27-year-old van de Zandschulp were both competing in their first tour-level doubles final. Griekspoor’s best result prior to this week was a run to the quarter-finals in Gstaad in 2021 and Kitzbühel in 2022. Van de Zandschulp advanced to the semi-finals in Doha earlier this season with Mackenzie McDonald.

Bopanna and Middelkoop were aiming to win their second tour-level title as a team, after lifting the trophy in Tel Aviv earlier this month.