Discontented Alcaraz Encountered a Rival Opting for Withdrawal
Carlos Alcaraz, the US Open champion from last year, stumbled upon an unexpected defeat in the second round, falling to underdog Botic van de Zandschulp with scores of 1:6, 5:7, 4:6. Alcaraz, appearing confused and disappointed, attributed the loss to an internal struggle. He claimed, "It was a war in my mind during the match." Admittedly struggling to maintain control over his emotions, the 21-year-old Spaniard stated, "I was playing against my opponent and myself today. My feelings were all over the place."
With a swift loss in just 2 hours and 19 minutes, Alcaraz experienced his quickest setback in New York since claiming the title. "This is not what I aim for if I aspire to achieve greatness," he earlier expressed his disappointment. "I need to improve, I need to learn." The usually composed player cursed, hit his forehead, and argued with his team, but to no avail. Meanwhile, his Dutch opponent Botic van de Zandschulp was getting a career-high win, unable to express his joy adequately, saying, "I'm speechless. Tonight was an extraordinary experience for me."
Ranked 74th globally, van de Zandschulp hadn't moved past the second round in any tournament this year. Suffering from a poor performance at the French Open and what he defined as his "least impressive game ever," he even pondered quitting tennis earlier this summer. "I was being truthful," he clarified. "Retirement was a contemplated choice due to some lingering injuries."
As if to surprise everyone, van de Zandschulp refocused, reviving his confidence through lesser-known tournaments like one in Lüdenscheid. Against all odds, he shocked the world's best, beating him in the second round. In 2019, van de Zandschulp even reached the US Open quarterfinals as a qualifier, while Alcaraz, who won the French and Wimbledon titles this year, has consistently reached at least the US Open's quarterfinals.
Alcaraz had been in a slump, and his initial game was lackluster. Losing all his serves in the first set, the first set finale arrived in just 30 minutes. He finally gained control over van de Zandschulp's serve to tie it 2:2 in the second set, chanting in triumph. Van de Zandschulp, however, remained unfazed and continued to pressure Alcaraz with his aggressive playing style and success at the net. Infuriated, Alcaraz suspected van de Zandschulp might spring an unexpected comeback throughout the match, reporting that he feared van de Zandschulp might come up with something extraordinary. When van de Zandschulp secured the decisive break in the third set at 5:4, his victory was imminent.
Alcaraz, in his post-match interview, questioned his performance, saying, "What just happened out there?" His confusion was evident, given his unexpected defeat. Despite his global ranking and successful tournament runs, he conceded, "Ineed to assess my game and strategize better."
