Carlos Alcaraz recorded a convincing victory in the second round of the US Open, making a serious bid for the title. Without allowing a break in his first two matches, the second-seeded Spanish tennis player prevailed over Italian Mattia Bellucci by 3-0 (6:1, 6:0, 6:3).
The 2022 champion made world’s No 65 Mattia Bellucci fight for every point from the start, applying pressure with aggressive baseline play and winning the opening set in just 30 minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz’s performance was as tight as his new short haircut. It was his most emphatic win in terms of the fewest games lost in his 17 completed US Open matches.
Carlos Alcaraz attacked the returns with fearless aggression, but also had the finesse to execute delicate short balls that impressed the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. One of the most memorable moments came when he hit a lightning-fast forehand winner at 175 km/h (109 mph) to reach break point in the second set.
Carlos Alcaraz is aiming for a second US Open title and a return to the top spot in the ATP world rankings. If the Spaniard matches or betters Jannik Sinner’s result at Flushing Meadows, Carlos Alcaraz will leave New York as the leader in the rankings.
