Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion and world No. 3, was eliminated from the US Open on Thursday, falling to Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets, CNN reports.
The match, held at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ended with scores of 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
The 21-year-old Spaniard, who recently secured a silver medal at the Olympics, struggled throughout the match, accumulating a total of 28 unforced errors. From the onset, Alcaraz appeared out of sorts, and despite a valiant effort, he could not regain his momentum.
Van de Zandschulp, currently ranked 74th in the world, celebrated a historic victory, marking his first win over a top-10 opponent in a Grand Slam event. He capped off the match with an ace, leaving the crowd in disbelief as one of the tournament’s biggest upsets unfolded.
After the match, fans erupted in applause for van de Zandschulp, while Alcaraz respectfully congratulated his opponent and acknowledged the audience before departing from the court.
“It’s been an incredible evening here,” van de Zandschulp said during the ESPN broadcast. “First time for me, night session at Arthur Ashe. Crowd was amazing. So thank you for that and what an unbelievable night.”
This loss marks the end of Alcaraz’s impressive 15-match unbeaten streak at the US Open and represents his earliest exit from the tournament since Wimbledon in 2021.
Looking ahead, van de Zandschulp will face British 25th seed Jack Draper in the third round on Saturday, as he seeks to build on this remarkable victory and advance further in the tournament.
