WHILE the early exit of Carlos Alcaraz stunned us no end, Novak Djokovic getting dispatched the following day sent tennis pundits in analytical frenzy.
What the hell happened to Djokovic, who was fresh from his gold medal conquest in the Paris Olympics — at the expense, no less, of Alcaraz?
But before we delve into that, who was Botic van de Zandschulp before Thursday’s second day of the US Open men’s tennis?
A virtual nobody.
But after he defeated Alcaraz, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4, the world swirled in suspended animation.
With his world-class upset of the darling of the tournament, the man from Switzerland switched from obscurity to celebrity — his tongue-twister of a name now suddenly a byword.
In victory, Van de Zandschulp, No. 74, did not only end Alcaraz’s 15-match Grand Slam unbeaten streak, but also smashed the Spaniard’s growing myth of invincibility.
So crushing was Botic’s win that it put to shame Alcaraz’s enviable feats of winning the last two Grand Slams — the Wimbledon only last July after pocketing the French Open in June.
But the Swiss, 28, deserves praise as he gave Alcaraz, 21, a beating that should serve the No. 3 seed a lesson this early in a blossoming career that has earned him four Grand Slams already, including the 2022 US Open.
“It was a fight against myself,” said Alcaraz. “Today, I was playing against my opponent, and against myself — in my mind.”
Fatal. In tennis, as in golf, the mental aspect can be lethal — either against you or your opponent.
Before their match, Zandschulp was 11-18 win-loss for the season against Alcaraz’s 16-2 in US Open tally.
“I’m at a loss for words,” said Zandschulp, serving consistently at 132mph. “It’s been an incredible evening for me.”
Meanwhile, Djokovic, No. 2, said losing in the third round to unseeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia “was the worst tennis I have ever played.”
Popyrin’s 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over the 24-time Slam winner marked the first time that Djokovic, 37, will emerge without a major since 2017.
In toppling the defending champion, Popyrin, 25, had 50 winners.
“I wasn’t even playing close to my best,” said Djokovic. “Serving — by far — the worst ever.”
He had 14 double faults — a Slam record for him.
Thus, brutally speaking, Djokovic deserves to lose.