Is Jack Sock the next big thing in American tennis? The 19-year old continued his impressive play on Thursday, as he advanced past Flavio Cipolla of Italy in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 4-6.
With the win, Sock advances into the third round, where he will face Nicolas Almagro of Spain, the No. 11 player in the draw.
Almagro had much more difficulty in his Thursday match, as he needed five sets to get past Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
However, Almagro should still present a massive challenge to the 19-year old from Nebraska. In a sport where age has increasingly become more important, he's a 27-year old professional at the top of his game.
If Sock can just give him a match, his 2012 U.S. Open would have to be considered a success. But if he can actually pull of the upset, expect to hear a lot more about him over the next week.
For more coverage of the American contingent at Flushing Meadows, stay tuned to the SB Nation Tampa Bay StoryStream as well as SB Nation's tennis news hub.