First-Time Winner Spotlight: Tallon Griekspoor | ATP Tour

Tallon Griekspoor started the new year in the best way possible. The 26-year-old dropped just one set all week en route to claiming his maiden Tour-level title at the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune, India. In the championship match, the Dutchman rallied from a set down to defeat Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

ATPTour.com caught up with the World No. 61 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings to discuss his family’s sports background, his standout finals record on the Challenger Tour, and how he will celebrate his big breakthrough.

What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title?
It means everything to me. It’s something you dream of and work for. There’s so many people involved, my family, my brothers, that mean the world to me. To do this also for them, means the world to me, I couldn’t be more happy.

Entering this event after the offseason, your first event of 2023, how did you feel about your chances of finishing as the champion and lifting the trophy?
You never know after the offseason how you will play. I worked my ass off at home during the offseason. I was playing well in practices but you never know how you’re going to be in the matches. I came to Pune early, had five or six good practice days and I think that helped me a lot.

This was your first ATP final, but you were 8-0 in finals at the ATP Challenger Tour level last year. Did this feel much different to those previous title matches?
I had a good record on the Challenger Tour in finals, so I would say I know I how to play to finals. It’s tough, it’s a fight for every point, there’s more pressure than normal, especially my first ATP Tour final. It wasn’t easy but I think I handled it pretty well. Maybe those Challenger finals helped me as well to stay calm and know what to do in the final.

Even before reaching the final, you made history here along with Botic van de Zandschulp as the first two Dutchmen to reach the semis at the same ATP Tour event since 2004. What does it mean to you to be represent the Netherlands with success like that?
It means a lot to do well for Dutch tennis. Botic and I are doing well and then Tim [Van Rijthoven] won the ATP event in Holland [in 2022], so we have a good group of guys. We did really well in the Davis Cup last year. We support each other and make each other better, that’s important to us. Hopefully…