Carlos Alcaraz is set to face a fascinating first-round challenge at the Rotterdam Open, where he will square off against the man who knocked him out at the 2024 US Open. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev will be up against a fellow Grand Slam champion in his opener, adding another layer of intrigue to the ATP 500 event.
With defending champion Jannik Sinner pulling out after claiming the Australian Open title, Alcaraz has been elevated to the top seed for the tournament. This marks the Spaniard’s debut appearance at the Rotterdam event, and notably, he arrives with no points to defend from his South American swing in 2024, which could give him some freedom to focus solely on his performance this week.
Alcaraz’s first hurdle will be a tricky encounter with Botic van de Zandschulp, marking their third career meeting. The head-to-head stands at 2-1 in Alcaraz’s favor, with the Spaniard winning their previous encounters at the 2021 Australian Open and 2022 in Basel. However, van de Zandschulp stunned Alcaraz in straight sets during their most recent clash at the 2023 US Open, making this a potentially dangerous match for the world No. 2.
Alcaraz also faces a challenge in adapting to indoor surfaces, an area where his record stands at a modest 25-12. Although he’s yet to reach a final in indoor events, the 20-year-old has confidence in his potential. After his round-robin exit at the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin, Alcaraz shared his thoughts: “I’ll be a really good player on indoor courts, I’m sure about it. But I think it’s about time, about getting experience, getting matches in my back, hitting on indoor courts. I don’t feel that I’m a bad player indoors, but probably right now a lot of players are better than me indoors.”
The winner of Alcaraz vs. van de Zandschulp will face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or a qualifier in the second round. Auger-Aliassime, who has made a solid start to the 2025 season by winning the Adelaide International and reaching the Montpellier semi-finals, will be aiming to keep his momentum going. Alcaraz’s path to the quarter-finals could also include a matchup with fifth-seed Holger Rune, who is projected to be a key contender, with fourth-seed Andrey Rublev likely standing in his way in the semi-finals.
Medvedev, the second seed, will look to bounce back after a mixed start to the year, having gone 1-1 so far. After a grueling five-set battle to beat Kasidit Samrej in the first round of the Australian Open, he suffered a shock loss to American teen Learner Tien in his next match. Despite that setback, Medvedev arrives in Rotterdam with a lot to prove, having claimed the title there in 2023. His first-round opponent will be Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who enters with a wildcard, setting up a potential banana-skin match for Medvedev.
Looking ahead, Medvedev is likely to meet fifth-seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals, after the Greek star’s early exit in Australia. In the semi-finals, Medvedev could face a showdown with either third-seed Alex de Minaur, who finished runner-up to Sinner in 2024, or seventh-seed Arthur Fils. De Minaur will kick off his campaign against veteran David Goffin, in what promises to be an interesting opening encounter for the Aussie.
With a loaded draw and several high-stakes matches ahead, both Alcaraz and Medvedev will be hoping to stake their claim as the tournament unfolds, while the competition continues to heat up in Rotterdam.