De Minaur's US Open exit leaves Sweeny as last Australian

Alex de Minaur has crashed out of the US Open in a straight-sets second-round defeat. The Australian world No. 7 lost 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, ranked 70th, on Thursday.

De Minaur was broken five times and managed only a single break of serve himself. He committed 30 unforced errors against 23 winners in the two-hour, 43-minute match on The Grandstand court. "My level today wasn't good enough. It's pretty straightforward," de Minaur said. He described it as a day where the feeling of the ball was absent, leading to uncharacteristic errors.

A missed opportunity

The loss represents a major missed chance for the three-time US Open quarter-finalist. He was the fourth-highest ranked player left after the exits of Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is absent injured, and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is playing his first tournament in four months. The sixth seed could not capitalise. "Obviously would have loved to do better," de Minaur conceded, adding he would move forward from the defeat.

Sweeny's stunning run

De Minaur's exit leaves wildcard Dane Sweeny as Australia's last player in the tournament. The world No. 123 scored a huge second-round upset, beating 14th seed Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Sweeny, who stands 5ft 5in (170cm), will now play 21st seed Luciano Darderi for a place in the last 16. The victory guarantees him a minimum pay day of $290,000 and a rise to at least world No. 115.

Sweeny bossed the match, running the Italian ragged. Musetti required a medical timeout when trailing 0-3 in the third set and was visibly frustrated. Despite wearing an ice pack on his right elbow, Sweeny played acrobatically at the net. "I'm just grateful to be even able to compete in grand slams," Sweeny said. "To soak up the atmosphere and get a win, a couple of wins, in front of this crowd, is awesome."

Other Australian hopes fade

For a brief period, it seemed other Australians might join Sweeny in the third round. Tristan Schoolkate's run from qualifying ended with a loss to fifth seed Flavio Cobilli. Alexei Popyrin, who famously beat Novak Djokovic here two years ago, lost a tense four-set battle with Chile's Alejandro Tabilo. Their exits consolidate Sweeny's unlikely status as the nation's sole standard-bearer in New York.