Still sporting his accidental buzz cut, Carlos Alcaraz wins easily at the US Open

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NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz's accidental buzz cut is moving on at the U.S. Open thanks to an easy-as-can-be victory in the second round Wednesday night, a year after he lost at that stage in the Grand Slam tournament.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz’s accidental buzz cut is moving on at the U.S. Open thanks to an easy-as-can-be victory in the second round Wednesday night, a year after he lost at that stage in the Grand Slam tournament.

The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz — who shaved his head after his brother messed up his hair — needed a little more than 1 1/2 hours to beat 65th-ranked Mattia Bellucci of Italy 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz never faced a break point and accumulated a 32-11 advantage in winners. All in all, a far cry from what happened in the second round at Flushing Meadows in 2024.

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain reacts after defeating Mattia Bellucci, of Italy, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain reacts after defeating Mattia Bellucci, of Italy, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Alcaraz went into that one on a 15-match unbeaten run at major tournaments — thanks in large part to titles at the French Open and Wimbledon — but came out on the wrong end of a straight-set defeat against Botic van de Zandschulp.

There never was a chance of that sort of stunner against Bellucci.

“Yeah, I played great, to be honest,” said Alcaraz, who earned the first of his five Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open in 2022. “Today wasn’t his day. I tried to make the most of his mistakes.”

He and No. 1 Jannik Sinner have combined to win the past seven major trophies.

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