Why Carlos Alcaraz apologised to US Open supporters after second-round victory over Mattia Bellucci - 'I've got to do my job'

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Carlos Alcaraz apologised as he left the Arthur Ashe Stadium wanting more after dispatching Mattia Bellucci in one hour and 36 minutes in the US Open second round. Alcaraz was at his rip-roaring best to dominate the tie, and said even his Italian opponent would confess to not playing at his best on the showcase court at Flushing Meadows. He will face Luciano Darderi in the third round.

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Carlos Alcaraz completed a dominant straight-sets victory over Mattia Bellucci in the US Open second round at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and apologised to the crowd for the hastiness at which he secured his third-round spot.

The world No. 2 continued his fine run of form, and never gave his Italian opponent a look-in - romping to the 6-1 6-0 6-3 victory in just one hour and 36 minutes.

"I've got to say sorry to the people," Alcaraz said on court, when drawn on the disappointment fans will face at his limited time on court. "I've got to do my job."

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Alcaraz was stunned in the second round of the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows last year by Botic Van De Zandschulp, but made sure there would be no chance of a repeat this year with an utterly rampant performance, giving very little away to his No. 65-ranked opponent, practically shrinking the court for his opponent with his incredible movement.

The Spaniard rattled two quickfire breaks to gain an immediate leg-up in the second-round tie, with little in the way of a response from Bellucci, with Alcaraz holding his serve in a straightforward manner to close out the opening set with a five-game cushion.

The second set would be even more dominant for the 2022 champion, as he sped through a bagel set, dropping just two points on serve in the process, and moving into a two-set lead within 59 minutes on the court.

Bellucci appeared slightly renewed as he looked to restore some pride in the scoreline. The 24-year-old was altogether more solid on serve to finally clinch a series of holds, but at 3-3 in the third set, Alcaraz finished the job.

The No. 2 seed broke his opponent's resistance on deuce, dispatching a subsequent hold before a match-clinching break to progress, and set up a third-round tie with Luciano Darderi, the No. 32 seed in New York.

The straightforward manner of the victory means Alcaraz has yet to have his serve broken in his opening two matches of the 2025 season's final Grand Slam, and said he was generally happy with his performance, despite Bellucci not playing his best level.

"I think I played a really solid match today," Alcaraz said. "You know, I just set up some goals at the beginning of the match, which I think I did pretty well. Some things that I have to improve that I didn't do as good as I wanted, but just in general, really happy."

"He played not his best match, I know it, but in general I'm happy to get through."

Alcaraz has carried a quite remarkable run of form into the US Open campaign, having lost just once since April - the Wimbledon final defeat to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Drawn on whether this is his most consistent string of performances so far in his career, Alcaraz replied: "Yeah, I think so. I am playing such great tennis tournament after tournament and just feeling that I'm able to perform really good, you know, in every match.

"Obviously I have my up and downs. I have matches that I don't have or I don't feel really good, but I just trying to survive those matches and to give myself another opportunity in the next round.

"Which I learned from this period, just about I took some days between swings or between tournaments, which helped me a lot to come to another swing or to another tournament with a lot of energy, fresh mentally, just to perform at my best. I think I've done it really well.

"Yeah, I think so far this is the period that I have been more consistent."

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