Tallon Griekspoor finds himself as the highest seed at an ATP Tour occasion for the primary time this week on the Astana Open.
And the Dutchman is totally conscious of it.
“Yeah, I do know,” Griekspoor mentioned forward of his opener on Saturday in opposition to Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro on the indoor onerous courts of the Nationwide Tennis Middle. “It’s one thing particular. When you take a look at the draw, you see some huge names and also you see your identify on the primary line.
“It’s one thing you labored for all of your life. It’s a bit surreal at this level and possibly just a little additional strain right here. I feel it’s a great signal to see your identify on the prime of the listing.”
The 27-year-old entered Astana at a career-best No. 24 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, with second-seed Sebastian Baez at a profession excessive, too, of No. 27. Each Baez and Griekspoor have bagged a number of titles in 2023. Griekspoor will wish to keep away from the Astana destiny of the Argentine, nevertheless, who fell to a qualifier Jurij Rodionov on Friday.
Griekspoor will get recognised just a little extra now, which he light-heartedly mentioned doesn’t damage when attempting to land soccer or live performance tickets.
Profitable the primary event he performed of the brand new season — on the hard-court Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune — did wonders for his confidence. So did what occurred within the subsequent few tournaments.
Griekspoor made the third spherical at a serious for the primary time on the Australian Open earlier than beating Alexander Zverev on the best way to the semi-finals of February’s ABN AMRO Open at house in Rotterdam. It took Jannik Sinner to cease him in two tight units, 7-5, 7-6.
“The primary six weeks of the yr had been most likely a turning level for my psychological aspect,” mentioned Griekspoor, who acknowledged he’s ‘possibly working a bit tougher’ than earlier than. “For me an important factor was the assumption to have this rating, the assumption to win tournaments. That’s one thing that this yr was actually there and helped me rather a lot.”
First-Time Winner Highlight: Tallon Griekspoor
If he wasn’t far off from triumphing indoors in Rotterdam, Griekspoor did get his arms on a trophy at house by claiming June’s Libema Open on grass in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
Given he gained six of his unprecedented eight ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2021 on clay, he’s an all-rounder. Which floor does he take pleasure in essentially the most? Griekspoor chuckled when requested.
“I at all times mentioned it was clay till I began profitable ATP [tournaments] on onerous courts and grass,” he mentioned. “I take pleasure in enjoying on all surfaces and I feel that’s a great factor.”
Griekspoor is able to make a cost the remainder of this season after taking additional relaxation post-Wimbledon and the US Open. The chance to realize Pepperstone ATP Rating factors definitely exists since he final yr misplaced 5 straight matches from the tip of September to the tip of October.
“Schedule clever, I did rather a lot higher this yr,” he mentioned. “As I’m feeling now, I’m feeling nice. Now it’s a bonus that I didn’t win something final yr. Again then it was completely different.”
Griekspoor opens in opposition to Shimabukuro, who edged countryman Taro Daniel in three hours, 33 minutes to make the primary draw after which toppled Roberto Carballes Baena within the opening spherical.
Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan’s highest-ranked males’s participant at No. 35, defeated Griekspoor final yr within the first spherical in Astana, nevertheless it didn’t cease the Dutchman from returning.
“It’s a very nice event, which made me come again,” mentioned Griekspoor.