The unexpected and painful elimination of Carlos Alcaraz this Thursday in the second round of the US Open left the Spanish delegation for the first time in 25 years without a male representative in the third round of a ‘grand slam’.
The last time that happened was in the 1999 Australian Open. Since then, at least one Spaniard has made it to the third round of every ‘big’, but at Flushing Meadows there are none left after just four days of competition.
Spain’s hopes rest solely on the women’s teamwhere Paula Badosawhich is having a good summer, and Jessica Bouzaswho is also showing good tennis in New York, will compete for a place in the round of 16.
Alcaraz’s elimination was with Albert Ramos, Alejandro Davidovich, Pablo Carreño and Jaume Munar in the first round and Roberto Bautista, Roberto Carballés and Pedro Martínez in their second game.
Champion of this year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon in addition to winning silver at Paris 2024, Alcaraz, number 3 in the ATP, definitely lost against the Dutch Botic Van de Zandschulp, who is in the 74th position in the ranking, 6- 1 , 7 -5 and 6-4 in two hours and 19 minutes.
In a night full of incompetence and collapse, both mental and tennis for the Murcian, Alcaraz has not suffered such an early loss in a grand slam since the second round of Wimbledon in 2021which is to date his worst result in the main draw of a ‘big’.
In the women’s competition there was good news for Spain with the classification of Jessica Bouzas (n.74), who beat British Katie Boulter (n.33) in the second round 7-5 and 7-5 in one hour and 45 minutes.
The Galician, debutant this year at the US Open, will face American Jessica Pegula in the third round (n.6), ousting her compatriot Sofia Kenin (n.54) by 7-6(4) and 6-3.
On the other hand, Sara Sorribes (n.115) lost in the second round against Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (n.21) 6-2 and 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes.
On Friday it is the turn of Badosa (n.29) with a double ration: her third-round individual duel against the Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse (n.122) and, later, her debut in the mixed doubles competition with her boyfriend, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Sinner and Swiatek stepped forward
The shock of Alcaraz’s defeat came at the end of a less hot day in the Big Apple than on Wednesday and where favorites for the title such as the Polish Iga Swiatek (no. 1) and the Italian Jannik Sinner (no. 1). ).
Other notable candidates who have earned the right to continue in New York are the Italian Jasmine Paolini (n.5), the aforementioned Pegula (n.6) or the Russian Daniil Medvedev (n.5).
Instead, the Polish Hubert Hurkacz (n.7), the Japanese and double champion in New York Naomi Osaka (n.88) and the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (n.4), who withdrew due to injury, are packed their bags.
Source: La Verdad
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