Carlos Alcaraz Eliminated At US Open 2024

Carlos Alcaraz was stopped in the second round of the US Open 2024 (Instagram/@carlitosalcarazz).

JAKARTA Tennis player from Spain, Carlos Alcaraz, was eliminated surprisingly in the second round of the US Open 2024. He lost when he met a tennis player from the Netherlands, Botic van de Zandschulp.

The tournament's third-seeded Alcaraz was forced to give up by the world's 74th-ranked tennis player with a final score of 1-6, 7-5, and 4-6 at Flushing Meadows, New York, United States, on Friday, August 30, 2024, noon WIB.

This defeat also ended Alcaraz's streak of 15 consecutive victories. On the other hand, this is the first biggest win over the top tennis player in the career journey of Zandschulp.

"He didn't do much of a mistake that I thought he would make so I was a little confused. I don't know how to handle it," Alcaraz was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

The audience at the Arthur Ashe Stadium was silent and couldn't believe it when Zandschulp had only lost one game on his way to winning the first set.

Alcaraz, who appeared below his best performance, then found his rhythm by breaking the service at the start of the second set and had time to score a 5-5 draw. However, his opponent managed to rise to double his advantage.

The owner of the four Grand Slam titles was seen smiling as he managed to break service to equalize in the third set to 3-3.

However, Zandschulp continued to release outstanding services and received a crucial break at 5-4 before locking the win with a clinical ace.

"I seem to lose words. It's been an incredible night for me. I think since the beginning of today I've been sure (I have) the opportunity," said Zandschulp, who reached the quarter-finals in New York in 2021.

This result made Alcaraz fail to become the third tennis player in history after Rod Laver and Rafael Nadal who won Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the same calendar year.