In a surprising turn of events at the U.S. Open, third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out in the second round by Botic van de Zandschulp in a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 loss. Alcaraz pointed to mental struggles during the match, which ended his 15-match Grand Slam unbeaten streak. The defeat was unexpected, given Alcaraz’s recent success at the French Open and Wimbledon. The 21-year-old Spaniard admitted that a tight tennis schedule may have drained him, but he refused to use it as an excuse for his poor performance.
In another upset, Naomi Osaka was defeated by Karolina Muchova in a 6-3, 7-6 (5) match that ended the former world No. 1’s U.S. Open run. Osaka, who has struggled with personal and mental health issues, expressed her disappointment with the loss but acknowledged the need to learn from it and mature as a player.
Despite these upsets, other top seeds like Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner continued to advance in the tournament with dominant performances. Swiatek defeated Ena Shibahara 6-0, 6-1, while Sinner overcame Alex Michelsen in a 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 victory. The competition at the U.S. Open remains fierce, with surprises and intense matches shaping the tournament.
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