Carlos Alcaraz took the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday night looking less like a tennis superstar and more like a guy who lost a bet. Sporting a fresh, and reportedly accidental, buzz cut, Alcaraz made sure his game was much sharper than his haircut, dismantling Italy’s Mattia Bellucci with surgical precision.
The final score read 6-1, 6-0, 6-3, a demolition that took just over 90 minutes. For those keeping score at home, that’s barely enough time to watch an episode of The Office, let alone compete in a Grand Slam match. Alcaraz was so dominant that he won 86% of his first-serve points and didn’t face a single break point. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if Bellucci owed him money. How long can the Spaniard keep it going?
Alcaraz Cruises, Ghosts of Last Year Vanish
This smooth ride into the third round is a world away from the nightmare of last year’s US Open. Remember that? Alcaraz, riding high after winning the French Open and Wimbledon, walked into the second round and got absolutely stunned by Botic van de Zandschulp. It was a shocking early exit that left the tennis world scratching its head.
This time, however, there were no such shenanigans. Alcaraz came out looking like a man on a mission, a very well-aerodynamic man at that. He played with a controlled fury, erasing any bad memories of 2024 with every blistering forehand. “Yeah, I played great, to be honest,” he said with a grin afterward. “Today wasn’t his day. I tried to make the most of his mistakes.”
The Djokovic-Sinner Collision Course
While Alcaraz is cruising, his main rivals are having a slightly bumpier ride. Novak Djokovic, ever the drama king, has looked a bit rusty, needing four sets to get through his second-round match. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner, the new world No. 1, is lurking on the other side of the draw. The tennis gods seem to be setting up a monumental final between Alcaraz and Sinner, where not just the US Open trophy but the top ranking would be up for grabs. Talk about high stakes.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, Alcaraz has to deal with Italy’s Luciano Darderi in the third round. If his performance against Bellucci is anything to go by, Darderi might want to start carb-loading now.
For now, the story is Alcaraz. With his new haircut and a game that looks sharper than ever, he is sending a clear message to the rest of the field: the king is here to reclaim his New York throne. And he’s not letting a little bad luck with the clippers get in his way.
