Alcaraz continues to rise, "sending a challenge" to Djokovic

(Dan Tri) - Carlos Alcaraz had a convincing performance in the second round of the US Open on the morning of August 28, he quickly won 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 against Mattia Bellucci to advance to the third round.

Second seed Alcaraz did not drop a single service game in his first two matches, easily defeating Italian Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in 1 hour and 38 minutes in the second round of the 2025 US Open. This result was a complete contrast to his surprise defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp in the same round last year. The Spaniard was almost perfect in the opening two sets.

Alcaraz's quick win was a big challenge for potential semi-final opponent Novak Djokovic. In contrast to Alcaraz's high form, Djokovic had to work harder to get into the third round, he only overcame Zachary Svajda in four sets a few hours earlier. In the first round, Nole also had physical difficulties when facing Learner Tien after a 6-week break.

Alcaraz overcame the pressure after being eliminated in the second round of the 2024 US Open (Photo: Getty).

"To be honest, I thought about last year when I stepped onto the pitch. Some negative thoughts. I was very nervous, but I thought to myself that I don't want to repeat what happened last year," Alcaraz shared in the post-match press conference.

The 2022 champion put the pressure on world No. 65 Bellucci from the start, with a strong attack from the back of the court that closed out the opening set in just 30 minutes. The 22-year-old's performance was as sharp as his new haircut, with Alcaraz winning the quickest by the fewest games lost in 17 matches at the US Open.

“I set some targets at the beginning of the match and tried to stick to them from the first ball to the last ball. That helped me a lot in maintaining my form by always being positive and aggressive. There were no ups and downs in the match. It was just a matter of setting goals and trying to stick to them every time,” Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz returned serve with fearless ferocity, winning 58 percent of his first-serve points. However, he was still sharp enough to hit some exquisite drop shots that impressed the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. One of his most memorable moments came when he hit a 109-mph (175-kph) forehand winner to earn a break point in the second set.

"For me, the return of serve is a big goal, just to play well and keep improving. There are a lot of players who serve very well, and I have to be ready for that," said Alcaraz, who converted three of 11 break points against Reilly Opelka and seven of 17 against Bellucci.

The Spaniard added: "The return of serve is the first shot you start with. If you return serve well, you put yourself in an attacking position, I like to be in this attacking position as much as possible. I always pay attention to it in every training session, every match, I always pay attention to the statistics of my return of serve."

Alcaraz maintained his consistent form at the US Open (Photo: Getty).

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who has won eight straight matches since his Cincinnati Open triumph, will face Italian 32nd seed Luciano Darderi, who beat American Eliot Spizzirri 6-0, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-4. This will be the first head-to-head match between Alcaraz and Darderi.

Alcaraz is aiming for a second US Open title and a return to the world No. 1 ranking in the ATP rankings. If the Spaniard equals or surpasses Jannik Sinner's record at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz will leave New York at the top of the ATP rankings. He has won 32 of his last 33 matches, with his only loss coming to Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

Alcaraz also leads the Tour with 56 wins and six titles this season, and he and rival Sinner could meet in a double title match, with the US Open trophy and the world No. 1 title on the line.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/alcaraz-tiep-da-thang-hoa-gui-loi-thach-thuc-djokovic-20250828111804835.htm