Bergs vs Van De Zandschulp Prediction 5 September 2026
🔊 Five years on from his US Open quarter-final run, Botic van de Zandschulp is again closing in on the second week of the tournament, but Zizou Bergs stands in his way. The Belgian ranks higher in the ATP rankings, yet it is the Dutchman who looks the more convincing player heading into the third round. The match will show whether Bergs can make up for a noticeable gap in return quality.
Head-to-Head
📊 Bergs and Van de Zandschulp have no previous meetings on record.
Zizou Bergs Player Overview
In the first round, Bergs beat Carlos Taberner 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, then defeated Jesper de Jong 7-5, 1-6, 6-2, 7-6. Both matches went to four sets, and in each Zizou suffered a sharp dip, dropping one set by at least three games. That pattern has not cost him yet, but against a stronger returner a single bad set could quickly change the course of a match.
On hard courts in 2026, Bergs has won 10 of 21 matches. He has held serve in 84% of service games and won 75% of first-serve points, but has broken only 14% of the time. That low break-point conversion rate limits his ability to recover when he loses his own serve. Before the US Open he lost to Merida Aguilar and Shelton in straight sets, and his wins have more often come against players outside the top 50.
Match Results: Zizou Bergs
Botic Van De Zandschulp Player Overview
Van de Zandschulp first beat Jan Choinski 6-3, 6-1, 7-6, then in the second round defeated world No. 7 Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Across those six sets, he allowed his opponent more than four games only twice. The win over de Minaur is particularly relevant for assessing his form: Botic handled a high-tempo baseline game and consistently applied pressure on the serve of one of the stronger players in the draw.
Van de Zandschulp's hard-court record this season stands at 14-10. He has held serve in 83% of service games and broken in 21% of return games. Over the full season, comfortable wins have been relatively rare - only 6 of his 14 victories came with a margin of five games or more. The recent picture looks rather different, though: in his last four wins, Botic's game margins have been 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Match Results: Botic Van De Zandschulp
Key factors
- Van de Zandschulp has not dropped a set in the first two rounds.
- On hard courts this season, the Dutchman has broken serve in 21% of return games; Bergs in 14%.
- Bergs dropped a set each to Taberner and de Jong.
- Van de Zandschulp has already beaten a top-10 player at this tournament.
- In Botic's last four wins, his winning margin has been at least 8 games.
Expected scenario
Bergs can earn plenty of free points on first serve, but holding his second serve consistently will be harder. Van de Zandschulp breaks far more often and in New York has already dealt with Choinski's serve, then kept de Minaur from taking either set to a tie-break.
The Dutchman's advantage lies in his ability to reach break points regularly, while Bergs rarely does the same on return. The Belgian can stay level in individual sets, but in the first two rounds he went through extended spells of poor play. One such spell gives Van de Zandschulp the chance to build a significant games cushion.
⭐ Editor's Prediction
The season-wide results distribution does not give Van de Zandschulp a clear handicap advantage, but his current form is noticeably stronger than his average numbers. In his last 4 wins the Dutchman built a margin of at least 8 games, and in New York he has yet to drop a set.
The decisive factor is Van de Zandschulp's advantage on return. Bergs rarely hits back with a break after losing his own serve and has already conceded lopsided sets at this tournament. Van de Zandschulp's current level gives reasonable grounds to expect a sizeable margin in total games.
Pick: Botic Van de Zandschulp - Games Handicap -4.5.
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Betting Tips: Zizou Bergs - Botic Van De Zandschulp
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