Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprising defeat against Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of the US Open, going down in straight sets with scores of 6-1, 7-5, 6-4. The match took place on a chilly evening under the closed retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Alcaraz’s usual composure was severely tested.
After falling behind two sets to none—a deficit he has never managed to overcome—Alcaraz showed frustration as he pointed to his head, indicating he was struggling to maintain his focus. He reflected on the match, admitting, “It was a fight against myself, in my mind. A lot of emotions that I couldn’t control.”
This unanticipated loss ended Alcaraz’s impressive 15-match unbeaten streak in Grand Slam tournaments. The 20-year-old Spaniard, ranked No. 3 and a recent champion at both the French Open and Wimbledon, entered the tournament as a favorite, making his defeat all the more shocking. Earlier, Naomi Osaka, a previous US Open champion, also bowed out after losing to Karolina Muchova.
Alcaraz noted that perhaps the demanding schedule, which included winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, had impacted his performance. He stated, “I probably came here with not as much energy as I thought that I was going to have, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse.”
On the other hand, Van de Zandschulp, ranked 74th, capitalized on Alcaraz’s mistakes and showcased his own skills, winning 28 of his 35 trips to the net. The opening set saw Alcaraz failing to secure any winners and struggling to find his rhythm, concluding with him winning just 13 points compared to Van de Zandschulp’s 24.
Despite making some recovery efforts in the third set, including breaking Van de Zandschulp’s serve to level at 3-3, Alcaraz’s inconsistencies ultimately sealed his fate. Van de Zandschulp, who had not won consecutive matches in 2024 until this tournament, expressed disbelief at his victory, summarizing it as an “incredible evening.”
This loss marks the first time since 2006 that a top-three men’s seed has exited the US Open in the first two rounds, and for Alcaraz, it represents his earliest defeat in any major tournament since 2021.