'It's disrespectful': Bitter implosion rattles Dutch Davis Cup team

Jesper De Jong watches on during the Netherlands' tie against India. (Getty/Abhisek Chinnappa)

A dark cloud hovers over Dutch tennis amid a fight between two players after the European nation suffered a shock Davis Cup defeat.

The Netherlands, without its top two players, Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp, unexpectedly went down 3-2 against India in the first round of Davis Cup qualifying.

Refusing to travel for the tie, Griekspoor, 29, lashed out at the Royal Dutch Tennis Association (KNLTB) for its "amateurish" management, including poor facilities which he described as "scandalous" in an interview with Dutch online newspaper NU.nl.

Jesper De Jong, who lost to the then world No.465 Dhakshineswar Suresh in the crucial fifth rubber against India, hit back at Griekspoor during his appearance at the Rotterdam 500 event.

"It's disrespectful. You shouldn't disparage your country," he said.

He added: "I don’t talk to Tallon [Griekspoor]. If someone treats his teammates like that, I don't need to give him a hug."

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After his first round victory over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Rotterdam, Griekspoor didn't mince his words when speaking about de Jong.

"He says I'm embarrassing the country, which I think is a strong word for someone who loses to the world's number 500," Griekspoor told Dutch outlet Nos.

"I'm not going to waste time and energy on people who are of no use to me, and that includes him."

There seems to be a clear disconnect between Griekspoor and the Dutch tennis federation, with the 29-year-old at risk of not being called up again for the Netherlands' World Group I playoff tie against Colombia in September.

In 2024, the Dutch reached the Davis Cup final in Málaga, a squad that included Griekspoor.

The world No.27 argued after the 2024 final against Italy that "a player ranked 25th in singles is better than the No.25 doubles player".

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