Carlos Alcaraz crashed this Thursday against Botic Van by Zandschulpworld number 74, and was eliminated in the second round of the United States Open. The Spanish tennis player lost in three straight sets to the Dutchman 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 19 minutes.
Champion of Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year, in addition to having won silver at Paris 2024, Alcaraz, number 3 ATP, had not suffered such an early defeat in a “Grand Slam” since Wimbledon 2021, where he also lost in the second round, his worst result to date in the main draw of a “major”.
It was an absolutely night unfortunateterribly painful and full of helplessness for the Murcian, who from the beginning seemed out of the game both mentally and because of his game.
😕 Carlos Alcaraz is eliminated against Van de Zandschulp in #USOpen.
❌ (1-6/5-7/4-6)#LaCourTennis pic.twitter.com/uMqrgwEYIC
– Tennis on Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarTenis) August 30, 2024
For his part, Van de Zandschulp, without a title in his career (only two finals and both lost in Munich) and after losing his two previous matches against Alcaraz, an unforgettable day was offered and the most important victory of his life.
This unexpected elimination of Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows comes after in the Cincinnati Masters 1000his reappearance a few weeks ago after the Olympic Games, lost in his debut against the French Gaël Monfils, smashed his racket to the ground (an unprecedented gesture in his career) and assured that it had been “the worst match” of his career.
Tragic Evening in New York
Alcaraz warned just before entering the pitch that the Dutchman was a “really talented” player and that he had to be “aggressive” to “dominate the game”. He had learned his lesson, but Van de Zandschulp surprised by a sparkling startwatching the Spaniard closely and combining with great success sharp forehands, sliced shots, dropped shots and net drives.
The start left several spectacular points for the public Arthur Ashe Stadium but it didn’t go well at all for Alcaraz, who conceded a break in his first round of service and started with his homework and 3-0.
The one from El Palmar was looking for sensations but Van de Zandschulp remained very confident in his service and, on the other hand, Alcaraz’s direct errors began to accumulate. Finally, there was a new break for the Dutchman, who sealed a brilliant and practically perfect set in just 30 minutes (6-1).
The best example of how things went for Alcaraz is this one He didn’t hit a single winning shot during the entire first round.Serious between points and hasty in his strikes, Alcaraz turned to Juan Carlos Ferrero for answers by sending a right into the corridor which offered a new break to Van de Zandschulp (2-1).
“Calm and positive, calm and positive,” his coach kept telling him, and he finally found a point of light, making the break and letting out a “go!” straight into the Big Apple sky. It seemed like the right moment for the heroic but I haven’t finished lighting the fire of the return and the match deteriorated without the Dutchman moving his arm.
On the contrary, it was Alcaraz, sober and without a trace of his characteristic verve, who once again found himself stuck with several errors until he lost his serve with a double fault and gave up the second set (7-5).
On the way to the bathroom between sets, Alcaraz pointed to his forehead as he looked at his sneakers: he was not mentally fit, his head was out of the game. In his dressing room, the stage and the faces were those of a funeral. At Arthur Ashe, the fans looked on in bewilderment, not understanding what was happening. “We don’t stop fighting once,” Ferrero asked, but the evening seemed far from epic.
Another break for 3-2 left the way clear for Van de Zandschulp, but Alcaraz responded with another break and showed a little smile that made his fans believe. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Alcaraz signed some of his best points of the time and asked for support from the stands with his hand on his ear. It was a mirage on a night to forget for the Spaniard.
Van de Zandschulp, imposing and masterful from start to finish, broke his serve with a shutout en route to an incredible victory and Alcaraz, mentally melted, threw up his arms and said goodbye to New York, apologizing to the fans before being lost in the corridors of the stadium.
