Carlos Alcaraz, the third ranked tennis player in the world and four-time Grand Slam champion, was sensationally eliminated in the second round of the US Open, after he was defeated by Borik Van Zandshulp with an unreal 3:0 - in sets 6:1, 7:5, 6:4.
The Spanish tennis player lost to the Dutchman, currently 74th in the world, who completely controlled the match.
This is Alcaraz's worst participation in New York. He appeared for the first time in 2021 in the main draw and already reached the quarterfinals then. A year later he won the title, and last year he was stopped in the semi-finals by Danilo Medvedev.
Van Zandšulp immediately broke for 2:0 in the first set, followed by another in the sixth game and settled this part of the game with 6:1.
Alcaraz's reaction was expected, but the Dutchman did not relent even in the sequel. He again took away his rival's serve in the third game of the second set. Then the Spaniard finally showed signs of life and immediately came to a ribbreak, but it didn't help him.
There were no break points until the end of the second set, when Van Zandshulp took advantage of the first - leading 6:5, and then served with zero for 2:0 in the sets, which were probably the turning points of the match.
"I was speechless," said the Dutchman, who beat a guy from the Top 5 for only the second time in his career.
The 28-year-old achieved his greatest success so far in New York in 2021, when he reached the 1/4 finals at the US Open. He was the only one to take a set from the champion, Danilo Medvedev, but the victory over Alkaras - the current champion of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, is definitely the greatest feat of his career.
"It was an incredible evening, I played for the first time at Arthur Ashe in the night session. I had amazing points online. I tried to stay calm. You have to hold your head high against these guys, otherwise they will exploit your slightest weakness," added the Dutchman.
He was not scared by the 2:0 advantage against the big favorite, or even the return of Alcaraz, who in the third set from 2:3 and a break down reached 4:3. Van Zandshulp tied the three games and completed the biggest victory of his career.
In the next round, he will face the British Jack Draper.
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