Carlos Alcaraz was on the wrong end of the upset of the year at the US Open.
The world No. 3 was shocked 1-6, 5-7, 6-4 in the second round at Flushing Meadows by the unseeded Botic van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands, ending his bid to win his third straight Grand Slam.
The fall wasn’t a gradual process either. Alcaraz came out flat as can be in the first set, not scoring a single winner in seven games, and still didn’t have much bite on his serve in the second. Meanwhile, van de Zandschulp, ranked 74th in the world, was playing some of the best tennis of his career.
Alcararaz stepped away from the court after the second set to get his rackets restrung. Whether that move was born of a legitimate concern, a mind game or an attempt to reset himself, it didn’t work. The power went out for the most electric player in tennis, on the court where he achieved stardom two years ago.
There was a brief moment in which a comeback looked possible, after Alcaraz prevented van De Zandschulp from consolidating a break. He had never come back from down two sets to none, but he looked confident, the crowd was behind him and he had a couple of the magical points that have become his signature. And then van De Zandschulp broke him again three games later.
Van de Zandschulp will advance to face No. 25 seed Jack Draper in the third round.
