Carlos Alcaraz continued his rapid climb towards the summit as the teenager reached the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday.
The third seed who stands fourth in the world beat fellow young gun Jenson Brooksby, 21, of the US 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, breaking a pair of shoes in the process as he raced to victory.
His 47 for the season now lead the ATP.
Alcaraz, whose 36-year-old idol Rafael Nadal is also paying for the last 16 here, came from a double break down in the third set to impose victory in just over two hours.
But he then spun off six straight winning points to get himself back into the conversation on the Ashe showcase court.
Alcaraz had to change his shoes after levelling at 3-all after something snapped.
“It happens to me a lot,” he said. “I run a lot and try to get to all the balls. (Breakage) is normal for me.”
The winner said that his opponent raised his level at the start of the third set – but added that that did not last.
“I knew I would have my chances, he would drop a bit. In the tough moments I played really aggressive.
“I had a high level, high intensity. I knew this would be a tough match.
“I’m happy with my performance and I want to keep going.”
The Spaniard pulled away to 4-3 in the third set after erasing his 0-3 deficit. Alcaraz then broke for 5-3 and wrapped up his afternoon a game later, setting up match point with his eighth ace.
Brooksby obliged by sending a service return wide seconds later to make his exit.
British seventh seed Cam Norrie saved face for the nation which put four men into the third round but lost three of them on Saturday.
Norrie schooled notoriously cocky Dane Rune ranked 33rd to the Brit’s ninth, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1, over two and a quarter hours, converting seven of 18 break points.
Norrie improved to 3-0 in the series against an opponent gaining a reputation as a whinger.
Rune complained about a few aborted Norrie ball tosses which he claimed were designed to extend his time for serving – but the moaning went nowhere with the chair umpire.
“I was not doing it on purpose,” Norrie said. “I’m struggling with a ball toss.
“I think it was the fact that if I throw the ball toss up, the ref was maybe stopping the clock, the time c lock.
“It can be annoying to return, but it was just a couple of times.
“Holger is not easy. He can go through patches where he plays passively, then very aggressively, you have to be ready for anything.”
Norrie took a swipe at Rune’s fitness as the Dane cramped and won just a single game in the third set.
“The match went two hours and he dropped his intensity, and started playing too aggressive and missing a lot,” Norrie said.
“But I got to two hours – then the match started, and then I was able to get it done pretty quickly after that.
“I was feeling better and better as the match went on… I ran away with the third.”
Norrie now goes against ninth seeded Andry Rublev, who put out Denis Shapovalov 6-,4 2-6, 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(7).
The ousted Canadian sent over 23 aces and notched 76 winners in defeat; Rublev produced a balanced 38 winners and 37 unforced errors.
American Frances Tiafoe defeated 14th seed Diego Schwartzman 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4. The 2014 winner Marin Cilic beat the Brit Dan Evans 7-6(11), 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5
Main photo:-Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning third round match – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
