Alcaraz’s Shocking Exit in the Second Round of the US Open
Third seed Carlos Alcaraz suffered one of the most surprising defeats of his career, losing 1-6, 5-7, 4-6 to Botic Van de Zandschulp on the evening of August 29.
Alcaraz’s loss is being regarded as one of the biggest upsets in US Open history. The 21-year-old arrived in New York fresh off back-to-back Grand Slam victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, only to be stunned in the second round by the World No. 74.
Alcaraz experienced one of his worst starts at a Grand Slam, quickly dropping two service games and losing the first set 1-6. The Spanish player failed to produce a single winner in this set, struggling with his forehand and committing eight unforced errors. He was unable to counter Van de Zandschulp’s solid baseline play.
The Dutchman played brilliantly, executing difficult shots with precision. A former doubles player, Van de Zandschulp skillfully employed drop shots and slices, disrupting Alcaraz’s rhythm. In the second set, the World No. 74 continued to dominate in long rallies, unsettling his younger opponent. Thanks to his strong serving, Van de Zandschulp allowed Alcaraz only three break-point opportunities, saving two of them. In the 11th game, a tense Alcaraz committed multiple unforced errors and lost his serve, allowing Van de Zandschulp to close out the set 7-5.
To regain composure, Alcaraz took a break after the second set. He returned to the court looking refreshed, holding his first two service games. However, his performance quickly became erratic again, as he lost his third service game. Although he managed to break back immediately, Alcaraz couldn’t dominate the rallies and often found himself on the defensive. Van de Zandschulp produced some astonishing moments in this set, including a deft volley near the net in the eighth game that visibly demoralized Alcaraz while boosting his own confidence. Throughout the match, the Dutch player won 28 of 35 net points, doubling Alcaraz’s tally.
Van de Zandschulp built a solid defensive wall from the baseline and executed almost flawlessly when drawn to the net. He hit seven winners and made only four unforced errors in the third set. In contrast, Alcaraz committed 10 unforced errors, including four in the final game, leading to a 4-6 defeat.
Van de Zandschulp’s victory is the biggest surprise of the 2024 US Open. However, for those who watched the match, the upset seemed justified given the Dutch player’s superb form, completely outplaying Alcaraz. “This might be the best performance of my career,” Van de Zandschulp said post-match. “I rarely get to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium, so I wanted to give my best for the fans.”
The US Open has previously marked significant milestones in Van de Zandschulp’s career, including his run from qualifying to the quarterfinals in 2021. This time, the Dutchman made headlines by defeating a top-3 player for the first time. He also ended the Netherlands’ streak of 43 consecutive losses against top-10 ATP players.
The New York Times commented on the match: “The worst time to play your worst match is when your opponent is playing the best match of his career.” This marks the first time since Wimbledon 2021, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev, that Alcaraz has been eliminated in the second round of a Grand Slam.
