Alcaraz crumbled towards Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp whereas Osaka misplaced to Czech Karolina Muchova.
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion of this yr’s first two Grand Slams, and Naomi Osaka have each been knocked out of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
Alcaraz crumbled to a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 defeat towards Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Thursday, whereas Osaka slipped to a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) loss to Czech Karolina Muchova, the world No 52.
Unseeded van de Zandschulp, at the moment ranked world No 74, was an enormous underdog towards a participant who had received 15 straight Grand Slam matches and followers at Arthur Ashe Stadium might scarcely imagine their eyes as Alcaraz dished out error after error within the shock loss.
“As we speak I used to be enjoying towards the opponent, and I used to be enjoying towards myself, you recognize, in my thoughts,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I imply, plenty of feelings that I couldn’t management.”
Alcaraz was bidding to change into the third man in historical past after Rod Laver and Rafael Nadal to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in the identical calendar yr.
“I used to be up in some factors. Then I lose some factors. I get down. It was a rollercoaster, let’s say, in my thoughts,” added the world quantity three.
Alcaraz admitted that van de Zandschulp, 28, shocked him together with his degree of play.
“He didn’t make plenty of errors that I assumed he was going to do,” Alcaraz mentioned. “So I used to be, you recognize, complicated a little bit bit. I didn’t know the right way to handle that, the right way to take care of it.
The 21-year-old mentioned it’s not the primary time he’s felt unable to take management of a match.
“I’m considering proper now that I’m not altering, and that’s the issue,” Alcaraz mentioned. “So I’ve to consider it, I’ve to study it.”
Gracias, Carlitos 🫶🏼 Nos vemos en la siguiente pic.twitter.com/YWdwo26OIO
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2024
Translation: Thanks Carlitos, we’ll see you subsequent time.
Alcaraz, who received silver on the Paris Olympics after shedding to Novak Djokovic, mentioned he wanted an extended break earlier than going to Flushing Meadows.
Van de Zandschulp was considering retirement lower than three months in the past after a number of accidents.
“I’m nonetheless processing it,” he mentioned of his win. “Perhaps in a few hours or tomorrow, I’ll really feel a little bit bit extra emotional with what occurred tonight.”
Osaka’s stalled comeback
For Osaka, her comeback from maternity go away stays stalled.
She missed final yr’s event after giving delivery to daughter Shai however made up for that absence within the first spherical when she brushed apart Jelena Ostapenko for a primary top-10 win in 4 years.
Nonetheless, on Thursday the 26-year-old went right down to a straight units loss to Muchova, leaving her with out a third-round look on the majors because the 2022 Australian Open.
“It’s been a little bit troublesome as a result of clearly I can solely gauge how I’m doing by outcomes. I really feel quicker. I really feel higher, however I misplaced within the second spherical. So it’s a little bit tough,” mentioned Osaka.
Muchova will meet Russia’s Anastasia Potapova for a last-16 spot.
“Truthfully this yr the most important win for me is that I might play once more,” mentioned Muchova, who picked up a wrist damage ultimately yr’s US Open which sidelined her for 9 months.