Third seed Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shocking second-round exit at the 2024 US Open, losing to unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. The Spaniard, who was aiming to join Rod Laver and Rafael Nadal as the only men to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open in the same year, was beaten 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 by world number 74 Van de Zandschulp. This loss ends Alcaraz’s 15-match winning streak at Grand Slams and marks his first defeat in the second round of a major since Wimbledon 2021.
Alcaraz, visibly struggling throughout the match, made 27 unforced errors compared to Van de Zandschulp’s 21. Despite breaking back early in the second set and leveling the third at 3-3, Alcaraz failed to maintain momentum and was ultimately outplayed by his Dutch opponent. “I think my level stayed the same throughout the match, and it wasn’t enough,” Alcaraz admitted. “I didn’t feel well hitting the ball. I made a lot of mistakes.”
Van de Zandschulp, who reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2021, delivered a composed performance to secure his biggest career win. “I am a little bit lost for words; it’s been an incredible evening for me,” he said after the match. His reward is a third-round clash with British number one Jack Draper. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, world number one Jannik Sinner defeated American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, achieving his 50th victory of the year.
The defeat leaves Alcaraz reflecting on his preparation, particularly after winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this month. He admitted he felt less energetic coming into the tournament, stating, “I came here with not as much energy as I thought I was going to have. But I don’t want to put that as an excuse.”
