Everything that happened on Day 4 of the US Open including shock Carlos Alcaraz defeat (2024)

• Carlos Alcaraz (3) shocked by 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp
• Jannik Sinner (1), Iga Swiatek (1), Daniil Medvedev (5), Jasmine Paolini (5), and Jessica Pegula (6) have advanced to the third round
• Elena Rybakina (4) has withdrawn, while Naomi Osaka, Hubert Hurkacz (7) and Sebastian Korda (16) were eliminated
• Contact us at our email: livebloguk@theathletic.com

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Speaking to the press after his victory, Botic van de Zandschulp said that he spent almost the entire match expecting Carlos Alcaraz to raise his level and take control.

"I think until 5-4 in the third I still had something in the back of my mind that he's going to come up with something special," the Dutchman said. "So, yeah, I actually was thinking that the whole match."

The 28-year-old also discussed comments he made following his first-round loss at this year's French Open that he was considering retiring.

"Yeah, at the time I said it, I was thinking about it, of course. I got injured last year. Still had some troubles with the injury from last year. That was for me like if I have to keep playing, yeah, with the pain I had, yeah, then there was a chance maybe I would stop playing."

One of our readers, Shirley L., has commented with a similar theory along those lines, that losing the Olympic final may have had a negative affect on Carlos Alcaraz here today.

She wrote: It's the Post Olympics disorder. Alcaraz still hasn't recovered from Paris. After he lost in Cincinnati, I felt he would lose early at USO, but didn't expect this early. The Dutch guy had a good game plan, didn't let Alcaraz play his game, kept his cool and consistency the entire match, well done.

Finally, the post-match press conference concluded with Carlos Alcaraz being asked whether the disappointment of losing the Olympic gold medal match earlier this month affected him mentally here at the U.S. Open, to which he responded: "Not really. I didn't think about it too much. As I said, being so close of the gold medal, it was difficult for me at the few moments or, you know, one hour, 50 minutes later of the match, but once I realize what I have achieved, it was the silver medal, it was a great achievement.

"I was really proud about it, and after the moment that I realized that I got the silver medal and it was a great achievement, I didn't think about it anymore.

"So I'm going to say it didn't affect me at all."

A reporter noted that Carlos Alcaraz said he wasn't sure what to do in the match, and asked him whether he had ever felt like that in a match before, to which the Spaniard responded: "Well, a few matches that I felt like that. You know, after every match that I felt like that, I always said the same. It was to learn about it. I have to think about it.

"I'm thinking right now that I'm not changing, and that's the problem if I'm going to sit here after the matches that I'm going to feel or I felt like that, that I couldn't deal with it, I couldn't change the match or I couldn't push me up a little bit and say that.

"So I have to think about it. I have to learn about it, and another chance is going to be really tough if I want to improve. So I can't say much about it."

Asked what his emotions were like during the match, and what he was feeling now post-match, Carlos Alcaraz responded: "It was a fight against myself, you know, in my mind during the match. In tennis you are playing against someone that wants the same as you, to win the match, and you have to be as much calm as you can just to think better in the match and try to do good things.

"Today I was playing against the opponent, and I was playing against myself, you know, in my mind. I mean, a lot of emotions that I couldn't control.

"It was kind of I was up in some points. Then I lose some points; I get down. It was a roller coaster, let's say, in my mind. So I can't be like that if I want to think about big things, so I have to improve it. I have to learn about it."

Asked whether playing the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics over the past few months caused him to enter the U.S. Open with less energy than he had in previous years, Carlos Alcaraz responded: "Probably. Yeah, the tennis schedule is so tight. I've been playing a lot of matches lately, you know, with Roland Garros, with Wimbledon, Olympic Games.

"I took a little break after the Olympic Games. I thought it was enough. It was really helpful for me. Probably it wasn't enough.

"But, yeah, probably I came here with not as much energy as I thought that I was going to come. But, I mean, I don't want to put that as excuse.

"Yeah, it's so tight. Probably I'm a guy or I'm a player that needs more days or more break coming into the good tournaments or the important ones. So I have to think about it, and I have to learn about it. That's it."

Asked how he was feeling today, and whether he didn't feel 100 percent, Carlos Alcaraz responded: "I don't know what to say right now. I mean, first of all, I think he played great. He played really good tennis. I thought he was going to give me more points. I'm going to say more free points, you know.

"He didn't make a lot of mistakes that I thought he was going to do. So I was, you know, confusing a little bit. I didn't know how to manage that, how to deal with it. I couldn't increase my level.

"I think my level stayed at the same point all the match, and it wasn't enough to win the match or to give myself the chance to getting into the match or trying to give myself chances.

"So, you know, what can I say? I didn't feel well hitting the ball. I think I made a lot of mistakes. When I wanted to come back or I think I wanted to come back, it was too late."

Subscribers to The Athletic are reacting to this shocking loss – here are a few select comments.

Michelle N.: What a great match. It reminded me of the time Lukas Rosol knocked Nadal out of Wimbledon, also in the second round. None of the commentators seemed able to believe what they were seeing, and boy was Nadal ticked off as the match went on and Rosol never let up! Such a pleasure to see someone resoundingly beat Alcaraz, who can be rather annoying with shouting every time he hits the ball, and asking for the crowd to cheer whenever he makes a point, any point. Ah well, bye bye, Carlitos. Good job, Botic.

Bobby V.: Alcaraz didn't have the torch for very long.

Amy P.: I’m a bit disgusted by this loss. Now who am I going to root for?! Regroup Carlos and come back stronger!

With this result, Carlos Alcaraz has lost in the second round of a Grand Slam for the third time in his career. The other two times came in 2021, his first year playing in the major tournaments, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. (He's never lost in the first round.)

Meanwhile, Botic van de Zandschulp has advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2022.

Carlos Alcaraz may have simply run out of steam today. Over the past three months, he won the French Open, won Wimbledon and then took the silver medal in singles at the Paris Olympics while also playing doubles with Rafael Nadal.

The years and years of the big three's infallibility in men's tennis made it seem like the top players never suffer these kinds of shocks, but today serves as a reminder that the big three era was the outlier and that this is the norm.

One of the big beneficiary's of this shocking result is 25th seed Jack Draper, who will be shocked to learn he'll face Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round rather than Carlos Alcaraz.

Looking further ahead in the draw, one of these eight players will reach the semifinals:

• Alex de Minaur (10)
• Jack Draper (25)
• Matteo Arnaldi (30)
• Botic van de Zandschulp
• David Goffin
• Tomáš Macháč
• Dan Evans
• Jordan Thompson

Botic van de Zandschulp breaks Carlos Alcaraz's serve to take a 5-4 lead in the third set! He'll serve for the match.

Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is in danger of going out in the second round of a major for the first time since his third career major, 2021 Wimbledon.

After each player took medical timeouts in the middle of the second set, Renata Zarazúa immediately broke Caroline Wozniacki's serve to level the set at 3-3 on Louis Armstrong.

From there, however, Wozniacki quickly rattled off three games in succession to close out the match 6-3, 6-3. She advances to the third round, where she'll take on French qualifier Jessika Ponchet.

Botic van de Zandschulp double faults to lose his service game. Is the pressure starting to get to the 74th-ranked player?

Carlos Alcaraz (3) quickly consolidates to take a 4-3 lead in the third set.

Carlos Alcaraz's sloppy play continues and Botic van de Zandschulp has now broken him to take a 3-2 lead in the third set!

If Alcaraz were to lose tonight, this would match the earliest elimination he's had in a Grand Slam in his career.

Carlos Alcaraz and Botic van de Zandschulp are level at 2-2 in the third set, with the Dutchman leading the Spaniard two sets to love.

Before going on court Van de Zandschulp said he had to play at 100 percent and that Alcaraz had to be a bit off in order for him to win.

He's playing the best match he's probably ever played in his career and Alcaraz is completely off it.