Van de Zandschulp stopped Wendelken in two sets on the grass of Queen's Club
Botic van de Zandschulp advanced to the second round of the singles draw at the HSBC Championships in London after defeating Harry Wendelken 6-4, 7-6(5) in the first round. The match was played on the grass courts of Queen's Club, on Andy Murray Arena, as part of the men's ATP 500 tournament played from 15 to 21 June 2026. According to a Lawn Tennis Association announcement, the Dutch tennis player moved on without losing a set, while the British qualifier ended his appearance in the main draw after a narrow defeat. Van de Zandschulp was more reliable in the closing games and points of both sets, which became especially evident in the second set. Although the score shows a very evenly balanced contest, his greater stability in moments when every miss could change the direction of the match proved decisive.
Turning point in the second-set tie-break
In the first set, Van de Zandschulp built a lead sufficient for 6-4, and the continuation of the match showed how difficult Wendelken would be to break down in front of the London crowd. The second set went to a tie-break, and it was precisely that ending that determined the final outcome. According to the LTA report, Wendelken led 5-2 in the second-set tie-break, but Van de Zandschulp then won five consecutive points and closed the match 7-6(5). Such a finish particularly highlights the difference in experience between a player who had already had notable appearances at major tournaments and a qualifier who was playing for the first time in an ATP 500 main-draw match. Wendelken had a concrete chance to force a third set, but failed to hold on to the advantage in the most important part of the encounter. Van de Zandschulp, on the other hand, remained calm enough to change the rhythm of the finish and take advantage of his opponent's lapse in concentration.
The duel was also important because of the wider context of the first day of the men's tournament at Queen's Club. In its daily review, the LTA pointed out that British representatives Jack Pinnington Jones and Harry Wendelken lost tight matches, while Tommy Paul, the 2024 tournament champion and eighth seed, opened his campaign with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Zachary Svajda. In such a schedule, Van de Zandschulp's victory carries additional weight because it leads him directly toward a new meeting with Paul. The Dutchman avoided a long three-set match with the win, which on grass can be significant in a week in which the schedule quickly becomes congested. For Wendelken, the defeat is painful because of the missed advantage in the tie-break, but the level of play shown confirms that he did not qualify for the main draw by chance.
Wendelken ended his run, but left an impression in qualifying
Harry Wendelken did not come to London merely as a local representative with a wildcard or a symbolic appearance, but as a player who had to get through the qualifying route. According to the LTA announcement, he leaves Queen's Club with two qualifying victories against players from the top 100 in the ATP rankings, which is an important indicator of form ahead of the continuation of the grass-court season. In the main draw, a more experienced opponent awaited him, and the first set and the closing stage of the second showed that he could have extended the duel. Still, at ATP 500 level, short runs of points often decide matches, especially on grass, where serve, the first shot after serve and reaction speed carry great weight. Wendelken came very close to a third set in the second set, but failed to turn his advantage in the tie-break into a concrete comeback on the scoreboard. The 6-4, 7-6(5) defeat can therefore be read both as confirmation of progress and as a reminder of how little room for error there is at this level.
For Wendelken, the appearance at Queen's Club had additional importance because it fits into the short but extremely intense grass-court season ahead of Wimbledon. Players outside the narrower top tier often look precisely at tournaments in the United Kingdom for points, confidence and a chance to enter stronger draws. The LTA emphasised that Wendelken was playing his first ATP 500 match, which makes the result against Van de Zandschulp more relevant than the defeat in two sets itself. It has not been officially confirmed what his immediate next tournament schedule will be, but the appearance in London leaves him a positive foundation for the continuation of the grass-court part of the season. In sporting terms, the most important detail remains the fact that he held a 5-2 lead in the second-set tie-break against a more experienced opponent, but did not find the final answer when Van de Zandschulp increased the pressure.
Van de Zandschulp faces a tougher test against Tommy Paul
By reaching the second round, Van de Zandschulp earned a match against Tommy Paul, who defeated Zachary Svajda on the same day. According to the LTA, Paul saved four break points in the closing stage of the second set against Svajda in his final two service games, showing that his entry into the tournament was not entirely straightforward either. The American tennis player returned to Queen's Club as the 2024 champion, and his status as eighth seed confirms that a serious result is expected of him. Against such an opponent, Van de Zandschulp will have to repeat the composure from the closing stage of the match with Wendelken, but also raise his level of play throughout the entire encounter. On grass, the difference between a good and a bad service game often decides a set, so the first shots and the ability to adjust quickly to the rhythm will be crucial. If against Paul he has dips like the one that put him 2-5 down in the tie-break against Wendelken, the room for a comeback could be considerably smaller.
In its report, the LTA also described Van de Zandschulp as a Queen's Club semi-finalist from 2022, showing that the Dutchman has a positive history on the London grass. That fact is important because Queen's Club is not a tournament where players have a long time to adapt: the main draw begins immediately after qualifying, conditions can change from day to day, and grass rewards those who quickly find a feel for movement and low bounces. Against Wendelken, Van de Zandschulp got exactly the kind of match that seeds and more experienced players want at the start of a tournament: demanding enough to bring them into rhythm, but without the cost of a third set. The second round against Paul will be a more realistic test of his ability to make another deeper run in London. At the same time, it will be a meeting between a player who has experience in the final stages of the tournament and an opponent who knows how to win the title at the same venue.
Queen's Club as an important stop in the grass-court season
The HSBC Championships is one of the most important tournaments in the preparation period for Wimbledon, and its position in the calendar gives it special weight. According to the ATP Tour, the 2026 men's tournament is played from 15 to 21 June on the grass courts of The Queen's Club in London and belongs to the ATP 500 category. The ATP states that qualifying is played on 13 and 14 June, while the main draw is scheduled from 15 to 21 June, with the singles final on 21 June. In its official tournament overview, the LTA states that the HSBC Championships is held in West Kensington and that the women's WTA 500 event is played in the first week, while the men's ATP 500 is played in the second. Such a structure gives Queen's Club a two-week format and a broader profile, especially after the return of the women's tournament to the calendar. For players such as Van de Zandschulp and Wendelken, this means that every match in London has both ranking and preparatory value.
The tournament at Queen's Club has a long tradition and is known for gathering a strong portion of the world's elite immediately before Wimbledon. The LTA states that it is one of the most popular and longest-running grass-court tournaments, while the ATP, in its preview of the 2026 edition, emphasises that it is a historic ATP 500 event. Queen's Club states on its website that it is the host of the tournament, while the Lawn Tennis Association is the owner and organiser of the competition. The same source states that HSBC became the title sponsor in 2025, giving the tournament its current official name. In sporting terms, first-round victories are not only passage toward the next opponent, but also an important test of readiness on a surface that demands precision, low balance and quick decisions. That is why Van de Zandschulp's victory over Wendelken is not an isolated episode, but part of a broader battle for form in one of the shortest and most demanding parts of the tennis season.
Points, prize money and the significance of reaching the second round
According to the ATP's prize-money overview for Queen's Club 2026, the total prize fund for the men's tournament is 2,583,330 euros. The ATP states that the singles champion receives 483,145 euros and 500 points, while the finalist wins 259,940 euros and 330 points. For players who get through the first round, particularly important is the information that reaching the round of 16 brings 37,780 euros and 50 points, while a first-round appearance brings 20,145 euros and no points. In that context, Van de Zandschulp's victory has direct value in the rankings and in the prize fund, regardless of how far he goes later in the week. For Wendelken, on the other hand, the main tournament ended without points from the first round according to the ATP points schedule, but with a qualifying performance that may have sporting and psychological value. The difference between a two-set defeat and a victory in the second-set tie-break was therefore not only a matter of prestige, but also a concrete shift in the tournament balance.
The straight-sets victory gives Van de Zandschulp a cleaner entry into the continuation of the tournament, but it does not remove the questions opened by the second set. Wendelken's 5-2 lead in the tie-break shows that the match could have gone in a different direction, and against Paul such moments will be even more sensitive. Still, the way the Dutchman strung together five points in the closing stage confirms that at the decisive moment he found a better combination of patience and determination. In grass-court tennis, such an ability is often worth as much as statistical dominance, because sets are decided in short intervals. Van de Zandschulp won precisely those intervals against Wendelken: the closing stage of the first set and the closing stage of the second. That is why the 6-4, 7-6(5) scoreline precisely sums up what happened in London: the match was tight, but the more experienced player was better when it was time to close the job.
Sources:
- Lawn Tennis Association - results and daily review of the HSBC Championships 2026, including the Van de Zandschulp - Wendelken match and the first-round context (link)
- ATP Tour - official tournament preview with dates, schedule, category, surface and tournament data for Queen's Club (link)
- ATP Tour - official overview of prize money and points for the HSBC Championships 2026 at Queen's Club (link)
- The Queen's Club - information on hosting the tournament, the role of the Lawn Tennis Association and HSBC title sponsorship (link)