- Carlos Alcaraz never left and came home from New York early
- It was his worst Grand Slam performance since Wimbledon 2021
Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open wasn’t always going to end like this – not early, not with so little resistance.
But Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp didn’t know the script as he disposed of the tired Spaniard in the second round on Wednesday with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win.
Alcaraz, this year’s French Open and Wimbledon champion, never made it to Arthur Ashe because his opponent was over the court – but his own decision was also to blame, and he called the match a ‘rollercoaster. ‘ in his mind.
“Today I played against my opponent, and I played against myself, you know, in my mind,” he said. ‘I mean, a lot of emotions are out of control.’
Nick Kyrgios, who has been commentating for ESPN, advised Alcaraz not to put on a show before the match, and maybe he has a point.
Carlos Alcaraz was surprisingly eliminated from the US Open in the second round
Botic van de Zandschulp earned a signature victory over Alcaraz in straight sets on Wednesday
The Spaniard at one point cupped the ears of the crowd in the third set after forcing deuce – which of course dropped two sets to none at this point, and lost the game immediately after the world No. 74 van de Zandschulp got a terrific break to set him up to serve out the match.
Alcaraz, who has been a virtual fixture in the final stages of the Slams since winning the 2022 US Open, also suggested that a busy summer schedule between Wimbledon, the Olympics and now New York has sapped his energy – with a post-Paris break. ‘ is not enough in its own words.
Whether it was low energy reserves or mental jostling in his own head, the Spanish superstar committed 27 unforced errors as the tournament ended far earlier than expected.
One bad drop shot that left the net at 15-30, with the third set tied 2-2 on serve (he was then broken), was a fitting symbol of a disappointing and sometimes confusing night.
The result represents an extreme on both sides, as it was Alcaraz’s worst Slam since Wimbledon 2021 and the first time van de Zandschulp has won back-to-back main draw matches at this year’s tournament.
You wouldn’t know it based on the way he dismantled Alcaraz on Wednesday, as he destroyed his opponent six times and never bothered the four-time Slam champion.
van de Zandschulp made an immediate statement with a dominant first set that saw him have plenty of success at the net.
Alcaraz, perhaps foolishly, continued to play for the crowd even though he trailed by two sets
But the 6-1 scoreline wasn’t a wake-up call for Alcaraz – it was just an indication of how the rest of the match was going.
The following two sets were not so easy for the Dutchman, but in the end it would end the same way. With the second set tied 5-5 and Alcaraz trying to chip away at his opponent’s advantage, he missed the chance to at least ensure a tiebreak when he double faulted and gave a break to van de Zandschulp.
The latter does not need an invitation to serve himself and take another set, although it still feels – maybe a little – that we can return to the classic five sets in Ashe.
This was not the case and the reality was that Alcaraz – and the adoring crowd – were in for a treat as van de Zandschulp took a 5-4 advantage after another break. And no one came back from there.
‘What can I say? I didn’t feel like hitting the ball,” he said afterwards. ‘I think I made a lot of mistakes.
Alcaraz – still the winner of two Slams this year – will now have a bit of time to reflect, while van de Zandschulp will prepare for the third round matchup vs Briton Jack Draper on Saturday.
