Carlos Alcaraz, the third seed at the US Open, experienced a shocking second-round exit after a decisive loss to unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Alcaraz, who had aspirations of joining Rod Laver and Rafael Nadal as the only players to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the same calendar year, was unable to recover from a poor start. Van de Zandschulp, ranked 74th in the world, delivered a dominant performance, securing a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 victory in what is considered the most significant win of his career.
The defeat marks the end of Alcaraz's impressive 15-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments. The Spanish player struggled throughout the match, making 27 unforced errors and expressing frustration with his inability to find his rhythm. “I didn’t feel well hitting the ball,” Alcaraz admitted. “I made a lot of mistakes, and by the time I tried to come back, it was too late.”
Alcaraz acknowledged that he was not fully prepared for the US Open, attributing his lack of energy to a shorter-than-ideal break after the Paris Olympics. Despite this, he refrained from using fatigue as an excuse, stating that his level of play was simply not sufficient to win. He noted that Van de Zandschulp’s fewer mistakes left him struggling to adapt.
Earlier in the day, world number one Jannik Sinner showcased his form by defeating American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, marking his 50th victory of the year. Sinner, who has returned to competition after being cleared of any wrongdoing related to a positive test for a banned substance, demonstrated his readiness and skill in his first tournament back.
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