Carlos Alcaraz entered Flushing Meadows as a favorite to enter the finals against Jannik Sinner. With his 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 dominant second-round win over Mattia Bellucci today, he proved why he can sweep the world No. 1 spot despite a tough US Open draw. In the three-set match that lasted only one hour and 36 minutes, he broke Bellucci’s serve seven times without even facing a break point. The Arthur Ashe Stadium, no doubt, was thrilled. Although it’s not the weekend, the spectators wanted more. But all Alcaraz had for them was an apology.

The fans were cheering loudly for the Spaniard to win and stay en route to possibly playing against Novak Djokovic in the SFs and then avenging his Wimbledon loss against Sinner in the Finals. Still, in his post-match on-court interview, he was told that they were not pleased for one reason: the match ended way too early. Appreciating the love from the New Yorkers, Alcaraz said with a sweet smile, “Yeah, I mean, I just gotta say sorry for the people. I mean, I gotta do my job.”

Now, whether the sentiment was because they wanted to see more of Alcaraz on the court or because the US Open ticket prices did a number on people’s pockets, they were certainly not satiated with just 96 minutes of Alcaraz. But of course, the less time he stays on the court, the better for him, so he gets to rest before he takes on Luciano Darderi. And no doubt, he loved every second of today’s game.

Talking about the win, Carlos Alcaraz said, “I played great to be honest from the beginning until the last ball… I know his level. Today wasn’t his day, and I tried to make the most of his mistakes.” But spending less time on the court was a deliberate move. He continued, “In general, I’m just really happy with the performance. The less time I spend on court, the better for me.”

However, while many believe Alcaraz would be after the World No. 1 spot that Jannik Sinner currently sits on, seeing the Spaniard lead their H2H rivalry 9-5, he himself has other plans.

Carlos Alcaraz isn’t after Jannik Sinner’s position?

Alcaraz’s recent achievements have made the tennis community compare him with the Big 3—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. And his rivalry with Jannik Sinner has only added fuel to this fire. But that’s not what the Spaniard’s quest is all about. In an interview with GQ Espana back in April 2025, Alcaraz confessed what he truly wants as a star tennis player.

“I’m not obsessed with being the best in the world. I was number one a few years ago, and I was happy. Now I’m number three, and I’m equally happy. And I’m enjoying the journey, the sport, and life.”It’s not the ranking nor the place on the table that matters. For Alcaraz, when the rankings fade, his name should remain and resonate through the golden era of tennis. That’s what he is after.

“I’m not obsessed. I’ve always said I’d like to be the best in history and sit at the Big Three’s table, but those are big words, not an obsession. And I always say I’d like to be remembered as an inspiration to the little ones, and as someone who had fun doing what he loved most, with a smile on his face and making people enjoy themselves.”

Carlos Alcaraz is currently en route to face Luciano Darderi tomorrow in the third round of the 2025 US Open. But will he continue his winning momentum and get the much sought after rematch against Sinner? Or will he fail in his plan and exit New York earlier than expected, like last year? We’ll find that out soon. For now, head to our EssentiallySports Live Blog to catch real-time updates of the US Open.