Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Tristan Schoolkate 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the ATP 250 Great Ocean Road Open on hard court in Melbourne on 2 February 2021, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.39 to Schoolkate's 3.23. The Dutch player controlled the match across both sets, breaking serve at key moments to secure a straightforward victory without requiring a deciding set. Van de Zandschulp's composed performance underlined his credentials as a seeded player at the event, whilst Schoolkate, the Australian qualifier, was unable to sustain the intensity required to challenge the favourite. The result positioned van de Zandschulp to face a second-round opponent and extended his winning record in early-season hard-court competition.