Carlos Alcaraz reveals details of his shocking US Open mental breakdown

No one expected a match like this: Carlos Alcaraz’s defeat against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the 2nd round of the US Open came in a shocking and unexpected way.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST UPSETS OF ALL TIME!

Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, winner here at the #USOpen in 2022, is OUT in the 2nd round to Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

Carlos was poor, but Botic was absolutely UNREAL for 2h20. Crowd in SHOCK. pic.twitter.com/GOE8peRu4N

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 30, 2024

At a press conference, the Spanish champion analyzed the defeat and explained how mentally he doesn’t feel well and that he didn’t arrive in the best conditions at this US Open. And he hinted that he will now take a break.

“I don’t know what to say right now. I think he played very well. He played very good tennis. I thought he would give me more free points, but he didn’t make any mistakes. That confused me a little bit. I didn’t know how to handle it. I couldn’t raise my level. I think my tennis has always been at the same point. It wasn’t enough to give me a chance to win. What can I say? I didn’t feel good hitting the ball and I made a lot of mistakes,” he said.

Alcaraz spoke of a very intense season, analyzing: “The schedule is very difficult. I played a lot of matches, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Olympics. I took a couple of days off after the Games. I thought that was enough, but it wasn’t.
Maybe I came here without the energy I thought I had. I don’t want to use that as an excuse, but I’m the type of player who needs more days off before a big tournament. I have to learn from that.”

The media in the press room also asked him what his thoughts were during the match and whether the defeat suffered in the Olympic final in Paris had had effects here in New York.

“I was fighting with myself, in my mind, during the match. In tennis you fight against someone who is looking for the same thing as you, victory, and you have to be calm and think better to achieve them. Today I was playing against him and against myself, in my mind. Too many emotions that I couldn’t control. I have to think about it and learn. Right now, what I think is that I don’t change and that’s the problem. I can’t sit here after every defeat and not have been able to change the match. I have to improve it.

A possible backlash for the lost Olympic gold? I don’t think about it too much. It was difficult for me in the moments that followed. About an hour after the match, but then I saw that winning the silver was a great result. I was proud of it. Instead, I feel that here I have taken steps backwards with my mind. I don’t know why. I came from a spectacular summer but I came here and I took them backwards. Mentally I’m not well, I’m not strong. This is a problem. For now I don’t want to say anything. I want to talk to my team and see what steps to take now,” he explained.

The surprise is certainly sensational because the champion of the 2022 edition and winner of the last two Slams in Paris and Wimbledon was clearly beaten by the Dutchman Van de Zandschulp, number 74 in the ATP world rankings. The Dutch tennis player played an absolutely splendid match. He dominated the first set and won it with a score of 6-1. Van de Zandschulp immediately went ahead by a break in the second set (2-1) but Alcaraz immediately recovered.

Botic van de Zandschulp’s reaction after beating Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.

Biggest moment of his entire life.

But he’s almost stoic.

Icy cool demeanor.

Basically no reaction.

Stone cold killer & I’m here for it.

pic.twitter.com/cBp4OHskcl

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 30, 2024

On 5-5, a very bad service game by the Spaniard ended with a double fault that gave his opponent the opportunity to serve for the set. A chance that Botic did not let slip. Alcaraz left the court for a long toilet break. In the third set, nothing fundamentally changed: the Spanish tennis player was still extremely faulty, Van de Zandschulp sensed the great opportunity and went ahead of a break also in the third set (3-2) playing in a solid and concrete way.

There was an immediate counter-break point but Van de Zandschulp cancelled it with a sumptuous backhand half-volley. On the second break point, however, the Dutchman conceded the service with a double fault. On 4-4, Alcaraz showed difficulties again, going 0-40 on his service game that he lost at 15 by hitting a wide forehand. The Dutchman went to serve for the match and closed with a service winner.

Botic van de Zandschulp has built a two-set lead on Carlos Alcaraz pic.twitter.com/ellmXHQTUg

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2024