ATP Tour

Birthday boy De Jong rides lucky loser run into Zverev clash

Jesper de Jong began this week with a 1-8 season record at tour level. The Dutchman has dramatically flipped the script on his season at Roland Garros, where he is into the fourth round and set to battle second seed Alexander Zverev.

It will be De Jong’s 26th birthday Sunday when he faces the 2024 finalist. De Jong’s run in Paris has already provided a memorable birthday gift after a difficult start to the year. But he never stopped searching for answers.

“This year was tough mentally,” said De Jong after defeating 13th seed Karen Khachanov in the third round. “Didn't win many matches. [I] started to invest with a mental coach, as well, with a breath coach. Those are good investments if these kinds of matches go my way. So that's what I really believe in. Those investments helped me to get to the spot I am right now.”

De Jong has made the most of his fortune as a lucky loser in the main draw. He fell in the final round of qualifying, but entered the main draw after the withdrawal of Arthur Fils. Now, the No. 106 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has achieved his career-best Slam result.

It has been a wild ride for De Jong, whose win over World No. 15 Khachanov marked the biggest win of his career by PIF ATP Ranking.

“I was one out at the start of [Roland Garros], then I had to play qualies,” De Jong said. “Then, losing the last round of quallies. Then being one out for lucky loser. In the end, it was a little in between — it was a tough rollercoaster to make it to the main draw. But of course I was lucky with the [main] draw that I came on the seeded spot, and that helped with the draw.”

De Jong opened his campaign with a four-set victory against 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, who was competing at the clay-court major for the final time. He then dismissed #NextGenATP Italian Federico Cina before surviving Khachanov in a five-set battle that lasted four hours and 19 minutes. De Jong improved his five-set record to 5-1, including three wins at the French major.

Up next for De Jong is a familiar foe in three-time major finalist Zverev. De Jong and Zverev clashed last year in the second round of this very tournament. The German earned a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 victory.

“It's better in the fourth round than in the second round,” De Jong said, looking ahead to Sunday’s match against Zverev on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The ultimate birthday gift for De Jong would be a first career victory against a Top-10 opponent and with that, a maiden major quarter-final appearance.

“I hope to have a good performance, [I have to] prepare physically for it because he's a physical player,” De Jong said. “Last year, he brutally demolished me after that first set. And I'm physically stronger than last year, so I'm really looking forward.”

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