A one-sided affair: Carlos Alcaraz sends a statement in US Open with flawless second round victory over Bellucci

Carlos Alcaraz had a nearly perfect performance, defeating young Mattia Bellucci in the second round of the US Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 victory. The five-time Grand Slam champion made a clear statement, warning the rest of the draw that he won't be giving anything away in his quest for another major title.

"Carlitos" is chasing his second title at Flushing Meadows and also has the chance to leave the tournament as the world No. 1 if he wins the title—or at least advances one round further than his rival Jannik Sinner. The 3-time major champion had conceded just four games in his debut against Vit Kopriva, and this time, Alcaraz didn't want to be outdone, sweeping past Bellucci.

Although Bellucci, 23, isn't a player with extensive experience at this level, he wasn't an easy opponent. With a current ranking of No. 65, he won a Challenger tournament just a couple of weeks ago. Bellucci even secured his first top-10 victory against Daniil Medvedev on hard courts earlier this year, so he had the credentials to at least pose a challenge for the Spaniard.

The match began with Alcaraz hitting the ground running against an opponent who couldn't find his rhythm. Alcaraz's strong service games made it nearly impossible for his opponent to get the ball in play or extend rallies, while Bellucci also struggled to find consistency on his serve.

"Carlitos" got two consecutive breaks and quickly went up 5-0. On the return, he took advantage of Bellucci's poor 54% first-serve rate and looked much fresher than his opponent. Although the Italian managed to hold his first service game to narrow the gap, Alcaraz responded with his serve, closing out the first set 6-1. Bellucci had committed 12 unforced errors with only four winners, compared to Alcaraz's 10 winners and seven unforced errors.

If the first set was forgettable for Bellucci, he had a chance to reset and start fresh in the second. However, Alcaraz continued with the match's momentum. It was a duel with few long rallies and little rhythm, as the crowd was not fully engaged due to the clear difference in level between the two players on this day.

Alcaraz once again played a nearly perfect set, conceding just two points on his serve while converting three of his seven break opportunities. It took him only 28 minutes to deliver a bagel, winning six consecutive games. Alcaraz had won 71% of the points played, and with a 6-1, 6-0 lead in under an hour, the match seemed practically decided.

Bellucci began the third set with a boost of motivation after holding his first service game, and for the first time, he started to look competitive against Alcaraz. Even so, the rallies never truly got going, and a more relaxed Alcaraz took more liberties to take risks and shorten the points. The five-time major champion didn't drop his level on serve, and the set progressed with both players holding.

The score reached 3-3, and while Bellucci managed to put more balls in play, it wasn't enough to truly threaten Alcaraz's great performance. The Italian had a first-serve rate of over 70% but was met with resistance from Alcaraz, who finally broke in the seventh game to take the lead. Alcaraz maintained his composure until the end of the match and kept the pressure on his opponent, staying ahead on the scoreboard. A double fault from Bellucci sealed Alcaraz's 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 victory on a night where he didn't have to use the best of his repertoire to advance to the third round. "Carlitos" will face another Italian, the 32nd seed Luciano Darderi, in the next round.