World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz displayed every attribute of a title candidate after dismantling Italy's Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-0, 6-3, within two hours.

The Spaniard came out charging, breaking Bellucci in the opening game before racing out to a 5-0 lead within minutes. Dictating with his forehand and returning with such accuracy that the Italian was constantly scrambling, the second set became an even tougher affair, seeing Alcaraz steamroll through with the classic bagel.

In the third, Bellucci held serve a bit longer, forcing Alcaraz to some lengthy exchanges, although it never appeared that the outcome would change. Alcaraz blasted a forehand winner to end the match, bringing the crowd to their feet.

Then Alcaraz reflected on how differently he had approached today's contest in terms of focus compared to the earlier ones: "I felt nervous in the first round, but today I was relaxed. I played with confidence, and that’s how I want to continue,” he said.

In another spirited performance at home, Ben Shelton brushed aside Spain's Pablo Carreño Busta 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. The booming serve and aggressive shot-making of the American left the 2017 US Open semifinalist at the rear. The entire New York crowd roared with every loud point, raising the traveler's morale. 

One of the strongest performances yet in this home stretch has been Ben Shelton's crushing of Pablo Carreño Busta into a dust cloud with the score line of 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The booming serves and aggressive shot-making of this American have kept the former US Open semifinalist on the back foot. The noisy New York crowd lifted Shelton throughout, roaring with every big point. After the match, Shelton commented about how much the New York energy fuels him: “This crowd is special. Every point here feels like a celebration, and I want to give them more to cheer for,” he said with a smile. 

Rounding Up

With their respective victories, both Alcaraz and Shelton qualify for the third round without dropping a set in their second matches. Alcaraz's victory reestablished his credentials as possibly the most complete player on tour, mixing brute power and tactical control. Shelton, meanwhile, has embraced his role as the best in America, feeding off the home support with confidence.

As the US Open proceeds deep into the second week, not only are those two young stars moving on—they're gaining momentum that might see them collide deeper into the draw.