Botic van de Zandschulp 4th man since 2000 to achieve rare US Open feat after stunning Carlos Alcaraz
It is the upset that has got the tennis world talking.
Carlos Alcaraz stepped onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night as one of the favourites for the US Open title, and an overwhelming favourite to beat Botic van de Zandschulp.
However, the Dutch star – currently ranked 74th in the world – did not read the script that many had seemingly written.
It was not just the fact that van de Zandschulp won, it was the manner he won that was so surprising; a comprehensive 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win that never felt close.
The 28-year-old is now just one of four men this century to be unseeded and beat a top-three US Open men’s seed in straight sets.
2024: Botic van de Zandschulp def (3) Carlos Alcaraz 6-1, 7-5, 6-4
Alcaraz admitted he was emotionally unsure how to respond to this defeat where his opponent could take advantage of his subpar level.
Van de Zandschulp was broken twice throughout the match but was able to break his opponent six times, and forced the Spaniard into making 27 unforced errors.
It is the earliest defeat Alcaraz has suffered at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2021 when he was a wildcard – and was beaten in straight sets by second seed Daniil Medvedev.
2006: Feliciano Lopez def (3) Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
You have to wind back the clock 18 years for the last time when this happened – when Lopez easily dismantled Ljubicic in the opening round of the tournament.
Only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were seeded ahead of the Croatian, who had achieved his best Australian Open and French Open results earlier in the year.
However, he never made it past round three in New York and fell at the first hurdle to Lopez in 2006, the Spaniard dropping just nine games in a comprehensive display.
He was not able to capitalise much on that win though, as he himself was beaten in round two.
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2002: Gustavo Kuerten def (2) Marat Safin 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
A three-time French Open champion and former world No 1, Kuerten isn’t your ordinary unseeded player.
But the Brazilian seemed past his peak in 2002 and was a significant underdog against world No 2 Safin, who had won the title in 2000 and then again reached the semi-final the following year.
Safin had needed five sets to win his opening match and, perhaps not in peak form, was unable to challenge Kuerten too much, the Brazilian claiming a surprisingly straightforward win.
He would go on to reach the second week, losing in the fourth round.
2000: Arnaud Clement def (1) Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
One of the biggest upsets in US Open history saw world No 37 Clement down Agassi easily at the turn of the century.
Agassi was the top seed and the defending champion and looked well-placed for a good run after an easy opening victory.
But French star Clement delivered one of the best performances of his career in this second round match, breezing to the biggest win of his life.
He would go on to reach the last eight.
Read Next: The 9 biggest upsets in US Open history – ranked!
