Dutch Tennis: Den Ouden Wins 1st ATP Match, De Jong Falls

Dutch tennis star shines in Rotterdam

Guy den Ouden beats Marton Fucsovics to reach Rotterdam quarterfinals, while Jesper de Jong loses to Karen Khachanov in 1st round.

Den Ouden's first-set win injected new energy into his game, and he stormed to a 3-0 lead in the second set...

Guy den Ouden, ranked world no. 169, grabbed his first ATP win in Rotterdam, beating Marton Fucsovics 7-6 (5), 6-1, to reach the quarterfinals. The 23-year-old Dutchman, who received a wild card, hadn't played an ATP Tour event since June 2024.

Den Ouden, appearing in his second ATP main draw, stunned 49th-ranked Marton Fucsovics, a former Rotterdam finalist. Meanwhile, Tallon Griekspoor's compatriot, Casper Ruud, and Botic van de Zandschulp were also in action.

Botic van de Zandschulp (Den Ouden) fought hard for his spot in the tournament, breaking Fucsovics in the second game after holding serve. However, the Dutchman struggled with unforced errors, racking up 33 in the first set, and let Fucsovics back in after dropping his service game late in the set.

Fucsovics was on the brink of taking the set, leading 5-4 and 40-15 up in the tenth game, but Den Ouden dug deep, saving multiple set points and forcing a tiebreak. Down 2-0 in the tiebreak, Den Ouden fought back to take the lead, showcasing his resilience and determination.

Den Ouden sealed the first set with his first set point opportunity, winning it 7-5 in the tiebreaker. The Dutchman's mental toughness paid off, setting him up for a strong start in the match. 

Fucsovics was on the brink of taking the set, leading 5-4 and 40-15 up in the tenth game, but Den Ouden dug deep, saving multiple set points and forcing a tiebreak. Down 2-0 in the tiebreak, Den Ouden fought back to take the lead, showcasing his resilience and determination.

Den Ouden sealed the first set with his first set point opportunity, winning it 7-5 in the tiebreaker. The Dutchman's mental toughness paid off, setting him up for a strong start in the match. 

Den Ouden's first-set win injected new energy into his game, and he stormed to a 3-0 lead in the second set, saving a break point in the third game after going down 40-0. Fucsovics struggled to regain momentum, winning just one game as Den Ouden broke serve again for a 5-1 lead.

The Dutchman sealed the win, dominating the pivotal seventh game and converting on his third match point. Den Ouden's strong performance earns him a spot in the quarterfinals. 

GUY DEN OUDEN DOET HET! 🧡
De Nederlander verslaat oud-finalist Márton Fucsovics en stoot door naar de tweede ronde in Rotterdam 💫#ZiggoSport #ATP #abnamroopen pic.twitter.com/w3YTRufnWt

— Ziggo Sport (@ZiggoSport) February 11, 2026

Dutch Campaign Hits Snag

Jesper de Jong's Rotterdam campaign ended abruptly as he fell to Karen Khachanov 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, despite taking an early lead. De Jong's strong start saw him break serve early, and he kept Khachanov at bay in the first set with solid serving.

Khachanov regrouped, and the second set was a battle of serve-and-respond, with just eight return points and one break point. Khachanov seized the opportunity, forcing a decider. The Russian eventually took the match in three sets.

De Jong fought hard in the final set, breaking Khachanov in the first game, but the Russian's class shone through as he broke back and took control. Khachanov's experience paid off, and he capitalized on De Jong's double faults, which ultimately proved costly for the Dutchman.

De Jong's valiant effort wasn't enough, and he fell short, missing a volley on the final point. With the loss, Den Ouden, Griekspoor, and Van de Zandschulp are the last Dutch representatives remaining in the tournament.