Carlos Alcaraz defeated Luciano Darderi 6–2, 6–4, 6–0 at the US Open on hard court in the second round, confirming his status as the overwhelming pre-match favourite with odds of 1.02. Darderi, a significant underdog at 16.9, offered minimal resistance as the Spanish top seed progressed with clinical efficiency, dropping only six games across three sets. The dominant performance underscores Alcaraz's commanding form on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows, where he continues to advance without meaningful threat to his title aspirations.