Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed from Spain, won in straight sets to advance to the US Open third round.

Under the dazzling lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 20-year-old defeated South African Lloyd Harris 6-3 6-1 7-6 (7-4) in an effort to keep defending his men’s title.

The victory wasn’t easy because of certain concerning weaknesses in his performance.

He made 29 unforced mistakes in total and struggled to maintain focus throughout crucial situations.

But with his raw talent and a vast repertoire of shots, he overcame some uncharacteristic sloppiness to see off the 177th-ranked South African.

“I think I played great, a great match,” said Alcaraz on assessment of his performance.

“But obviously in the third set, he started to play better. I got down a little bit.

“I need extra energy in the third set.

“In the end, I think I played a pretty good match and will try to keep the same level.”

Alcaraz will face Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round.

He is bidding to become the first back-to-back men’s champion at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five straight from 2004 to 2008.

Alcaraz Storms Into Third Round Of US Open

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