Teenager Carlos Alcaraz rejected a late push from Argentine veteran Federico Coria to emerge with a 6-2 6-1 7-5 win to reach the third round of the US Open.
The young Spaniard used his speed across the pitch and powerful forehand to win the last 10 points of the first set and broke Coria’s serve to open the second and take the lead 2-0.
Coria refused to go down without a fight and pushed Alcaraz in a 4-4 marathon match in the third set.
But the third seed, which saved 14 of the 15 break points faced in the game, scored two bad serves to get out of trouble and sealed the win with a two-handed backhand for his 46th win. of the year.
“It’s been a great year for me, but it’s not the end of the year,” Alcaraz said.
“I am very happy to be the player with the most wins, but I have to look forward and try.”
The next round for Alcaraz is a bout with American Jenson Brooksby, who beat Cincinnati Open champion and 25th seeded Borna Coric 6-4 7-6 (12-10) 6-1 early in the game . the day.
The Californian saved seven set points in the tense second set to reach round three at Flushing Meadows for the second consecutive year. Last year he won the first set against Novak Djokovic before falling as a tournament finalist.
Brooksby’s emphatic shouts of “Allez!” entered under Coric’s skin, leading the Croatian to tell the chair referee that while respecting the 21-year-old’s fight, “it’s a bit too much, every point counts”.