FORMER champion Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out of the US Open in a stunning straight-sets defeat by world No.74 Botic van de Zandschulp in the early hours of today, while top seeds Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek eased through to the third round.
Spanish third seed Alcaraz was fully expected to extend his 15-match winning streak at the Grand Slams but the Wimbledon and French Open champion got off to a poor start and never recovered, going down 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round.
Van de Zandschulp, the first Dutchman to defeat a player in the top three at a major since Richard Krajicek beat Pete Sampras in the 1996 Wimbledon quarter-finals, will next play Britain’s Jack Draper.
“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,” said Alcaraz.
“Today I was playing against the opponent, and I was playing against myself.”
It was more normal earlier in the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Poland’s Swiatek, the women’s top seed, brushed aside Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-0, 6-1 in a just over an hour. She plays unseeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next.
Australian Open winner Sinner also cruised past American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, taking just 99 minutes to complete his ATP Tour-leading 30th hardcourt win of the year.
The Italian, who will play Australian Chris O’Connell next, has been dogged by controversy at the US Open after it was revealed days before the tournament he escaped a ban and was cleared of wrongdoing despite failing two drug tests this year.
He said he tested positive for a banned substance after his physio applied an over-the-counter spray to a cut on his own hand before carrying out treatments in March.
Two-time women’s singles champion Naomi Osaka was beaten by Czech Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-6, another disappointing Grand Slam exit in what the Japanese star has dubbed her “learning year” after coming back from a 15-month maternity break.
Muchova, a semi-finalist last year, will next play Russian Anastasia Potapova.
Former champion Daniil Medvedev advanced past Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-2, 7-6, helped by his opponent’s 45 unforced errors, and will next play Italian Flavio Cobolli.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula and 14th seed Tommy Paul boosted home hopes as both Americans advanced to the third round, but compatriot Sebastian Korda crashed out.
