Jordan Thompson craves an all-Australian third-round showdown with Alexei Popyrin after making a lightning start to the US Open in New York.

In the form of his life, Thompson destroyed Joao Sousa 6-3 6-2 6-4 in a relentless display of power, precision and concentration from the 25-year-old.

“That’s probably one of the best matches I’ve ever played – from the get-go,” Thompson said.

“Served pretty well, made a lot of returns – (on) first and second serves – and executed the game plan, so really happy to get through that one.”

In a mark of how far Thompson has come, the 25-year-old – who cracked the world’s top 50 last month for the first time – needed five sets to see off the 44th-ranked Sousa last time they met.

The time before, Sousa crushed him in straight sets.

“It was the opposite today. Got through fairly comfortably and saved the legs a little bit,” Thompson said after booking a date with 24th seed Matteo Berrettini.

“He’s a big guy – big frame, good ball striker. Hits it big,” Thompson said of the Italian.

“He’s got a really good serve so he’s probably going to throw everything at me. I’ve got to be prepared to make a lot of balls.”

Should he match his run to the French Open third round, Thompson could play Popyrin for a place in the last 16.

“That would be unbelievable,” he said after Popyrin earlier beat Federico Delbonis 6-1 7-5 7-6 (7-5) in his opener to set up a meeting with Mikhail Kukushkin.

“But there is a long way to go yet.”

Thompson and Popyrin join fellow Australians Alex de Minaur and women’s world No.2 Ashleigh Barty in the second round at Flushing Meadows.

But Astra Sharma’s campaign is over following a 6-3 6-4 loss to Magda Linette.

“She played cleaner and better than me today,” Sharma said.

“But getting to play the main draw of all the slams (this year) has been amazing. They’ve all been good learning experiences.

“It gives me an idea of what I need to do to get back to this level and maintain it and get better.”