Dutch Van de Zandschulp knocks out #3 in world ranking in stunning victory at US Open

Botic van de Zandschulp has caused a major upset in the second round of the US Open by eliminating third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz. The Dutch number 74 in the world rankings won in three sets against the 21-year-old Spaniard in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York: 6-1 7-5 6-4.

After 2 hours and 19 minutes, Van de Zandschulp finished it off on his first match point. He hit a serve through the middle that was too much for Alcaraz. The 28-year-old Dutchman celebrated the sensational victory modestly with a clenched fist. In Van de Zandschulp’s box, coach Peter Lucassen and Paul Haarhuis, the captain of the Dutch Davis Cup team, seemed barely able to comprehend what had happened in the Arthur Ashe Stadium - the largest tennis stadium in the world.

Van de Zandschulp said he believed from the beginning. “Yeah, I got a lot of confidence from the last match. I also played really solid in the last match. I think from point one I believed here today that I could make a chance. And you see how it sometimes turns out.”

Van de Zandschulp won no less than 28 points at the net out of the 35 times he appeared at the net. He won 79 percent of the points on his serve, compared to only 60 percent for Alcaraz.

In the next round, the tennis player from Veenendaal will face the Briton Jack Draper, the number 25 in the world.

Van de Zandschulp had defeated the Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the American Grand Slam tournament. The 28-year-old Dutch tennis player reached the quarter-finals of the US Open in 2021. He was then eliminated by Daniil Medvedev.

Alcaraz won the US Open in 2022. The current number 3 in the world rankings won Roland Garros this year and Wimbledon for the second time. Medvedev eliminated him in the semifinals in New York last year.