NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz, the pre-tournament favorite and current World No. 3, faced an unexpected exit from the US Open on Thursday night after a straight-sets loss to the 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round. The 21-year-old Spaniard, who has never lost after being down two sets, appeared visibly frustrated as he walked off the court with his equipment bag slung over his shoulder, pointing to his temple in a gesture suggesting he was not thinking clearly.
Under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm against the 28-year-old Dutchman. Despite his recent success winning the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, Alcaraz’s 15-match Grand Slam unbeaten streak came to a surprising end with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 defeat.
“It was a battle against myself, in my mind, during the match,” Alcaraz admitted post-match. “You have to stay calm to think clearly, but today I was fighting not just the opponent but my own emotions.”
The result was particularly shocking given Alcaraz’s form and the expectation surrounding him. His early exit was reminiscent of Naomi Osaka’s departure from the tournament earlier that day, though Alcaraz’s loss was far more unexpected given his dominance in recent months.
Alcaraz, who had previously never lost before the quarterfinals in his three US Open appearances, seemed drained, possibly due to a packed schedule that included a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. “Probably, I came here with not as much energy as I thought I would have,” Alcaraz admitted, though he refused to use it as an excuse.
Van de Zandschulp, who has only reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal once, in the 2021 US Open, took full advantage of Alcaraz’s off day. The Dutchman, who had a modest 11-18 record this season before the tournament, capitalized on his opportunities, winning 28 of his 35 trips to the net.
The match started disastrously for Alcaraz, who failed to produce a single winner in the first set and was overwhelmed by Van de Zandschulp’s powerful forehands and serves. Although Alcaraz managed to fight back in the second and third sets, his uncharacteristic errors, including a costly double fault, ultimately sealed his fate.
“Of course I had some nerves, but if you want to beat one of these top guys, you have to stay calm and keep your focus,” Van de Zandschulp said after the match. He now advances to face No. 25 seed Jack Draper of Britain in the third round.
Alcaraz’s loss marks the first time since 2006 that a top-three men’s seed has been eliminated within the first two rounds of the US Open. This defeat is also the earliest exit by a pre-tournament favorite since Patrick Rafter’s first-round retirement in 1999.
Alcaraz entered the night with a dominant 25-1 record in majors against players ranked outside the top 50, but his unexpected loss to Van de Zandschulp adds a surprising chapter to his otherwise stellar season.
