The University of Mississippi Athletics
A Dutch Treat For Three Rebels
7/9/2010 | Women's Tennis
July 9, 2010
When Arjen Robben scored late in the second half to give the Netherlands the eventual game-winning goal in the World Cup semifinal against Uruguay, there were at least three people from Ole Miss who were ecstatic.
Ole Miss women's tennis coach Mark Beyers and team members Laura van de Stroet and Karen Nijssen all hail from the Netherlands.
The Dutch knocked off Brazil, ranked No. 1 in the field coming into the World Cup, in the quarterfinals and then defeated Uruguay 3-2 in the semifinals to reach the World Cup Final for the third time. Spain, who many predicted to win it all before the event began, beat Germany 1-0 in the semifinals.
"It is very exciting for us to be in the final because we are such a little country," said Nijssen, who earned All-America honors this past season. "It's especially nice after beating Brazil in the quarters because they have beaten us before. That was a really tough and unexpected win, so I think the team got a lot of confidence from that. They could win the whole thing, but Spain is a tough team. It will be a good match."
Known for a free-flowing and entertaining brand of soccer the Dutch call "total football," the Oranje have been one of the world's most entertaining teams for nearly 30 years.
They are 6-0 in South Africa, have won 10 in a row overall and are in the midst of a 25-match unbeaten streak.
The Dutch are making their third appearance in the final. They lost to West Germany in 1974 and then to Argentina in the 1978 final.
Both of those title-game defeats came during the golden period of Dutch soccer, and in the opposition's homeland. This time they will face Spain on a neutral site, and no country outside of Africa has had as much fan support as the Netherlands.
Beyers was 8 years old during the 1978 final and says he remembers it a little. This year, he's been able to watch all the action, except for the big quarterfinal game against Brazil.
"I was in the air flying back from Europe (on a recruiting trip). When I landed I had a whole bunch of text messages," Beyers said. "I DVR'ed the game and watched it that night. I've been living in the U.S. for 23 years, but it's still something that I keep up with. I was pretty vocal the other day watching the semifinal game on TV."
Soccer is building a following in the U.S., but for the Netherlands it is the sport of choice growing up.
"In Holland it's the biggest sport. Most of the people play and watch it," Beyers said. "Just like in the U.S. most people play football, basketball and baseball. Historically we've been pretty good at it. That's where the interest is. I played growing up, and I always enjoyed it. I was a goalie. When it came time to decide between soccer and tennis, I chose tennis."
Obviously it was a good decision for Beyers, who left his home country to become a two-time All-American in singles and doubles at Armstrong Atlantic State University. Now in his ninth year at the helm of the Ole Miss women's tennis program, Beyers led the Rebels to the SEC West Championship and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen this past year.
More than 100,000 fans are expected to watch the final at Museum Square in Amsterdam, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, being held Sunday in Rotterdam, was so afraid of no-shows that it is erecting giant screens so concertgoers can keep up with the match.
"It's amazing. An entire country will be focused on this," Beyers said. "Everything that was going on or planned gets changed around so no one will miss the match. There are 15 million people in Holland. They said 11.2 million people watched the Brazil game. It was the third highest watched show in Holland. Forty percent of the country took off work to watch that one game."
Nijssen admits to not being a huge soccer fan, but she will still be watching on Sunday.
"I will watch the game either in Amsterdam with the crowd, in another city or at home, I haven't decided yet. The vibe will be crazy all over the country, and everyone is dressed in orange of course," she said.
"We start tennis camp Sunday. I will be joining the camp as soon as the game is over," Beyers said. "I will have my phone off, focused on the game, screaming at the TV."
Asked for a prediction, Beyers confidently said, "Third time is the charm, 2-1 Holland."
