Botic Van de Zandschulp had a moment of disbelief in the US Open! When he thought there was no hope in his future tennis possibilities, fate had something else in store for him. The Dutchman’s challenges transformed into his determination, as he pulled off a massive upset against Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of the ongoing US Open. After the match, De Zandschulp revisited his harrowing past during the celebration.

Van de Zandschulp defeated Alcaraz in straight sets by 6-1, 7-5, and 6-4 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The ATP star from the Netherlands couldn’t believe the result he had achieved against one of the best tennis players in the world with a record of two Grand Slams recently. De Zandschulp had contemplated his retirement after being burdened with injuries since last year. He had injured his left foot, tore his ankle ligaments, and had also infected his right foot. His physical fitness had landed him in a pool of negative thoughts, showing no possibility of a bright future.

However, his victory over Alcaraz has now helped Van de Zandschulp restore his faith in his skills. “When I said I was retiring I meant it, I was seriously thinking about it. I got injured last year: with the pain I was still having, there was a chance I could stop completely,” he mentioned. Talking about the magnitude of his victory, the Dutchman emphasized he hadn’t “realized yet, maybe in a couple of hours or tomorrow,” it would sink in. After entering the third round, Van de Zandschulp will face Jack Draper tomorrow.

While De Zandschulp is on cloud nine after his win, his opponent Carlos Alcaraz revealed the challenges that he faced in the second-round match. Speaking of his emotions, the Spaniard mentioned where he failed to win the match against his Dutch opponent.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals “it was a fight” against himself in his match against Botic Van de Zandschulp

Alcaraz was visibly disappointed after losing the US Open’s second round to the ATP no 74. “It was a fight against myself, in my mind, during the match, In tennis, you are playing against someone that wants the same as you — to win the match — and you have to be as … calm as you can, just to think better in the match and try to do good things. Today I was playing against the opponent, and I was playing against myself, in my mind. A lot of emotions that I couldn’t control,” he said.

After winning the French Open and Wimbledon, Alcaraz was at the top of his game in the Paris Olympics as well. Although he couldn’t clinch the gold, he had a podium finish with a silver medal there. Following his recent performances, Alcaraz’s fans had massive expectations from him in the US Open as well. However, not all the wishes come true! Alcaraz’s US Open dream ended with a defeat at the hands of Van de Zandschulp.

Botic Van de Zandschulp’s victory is a reminder for people to hold their self-confidence high. If he had retired as he contemplated, he might not have experienced what turned out to be an unforgettable moment in his career. Now that he has regained his lost confidence, the tennis fraternity would expect the Dutchman to show more magic at Flushing Meadows, as he takes on Draper in the third round.