Zverev Survives Another Five-Set Thriller at US Open
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Top seed Alexander Zverev continues to live dangerously at the 2026 US Open, extending his streak of five-set matches to begin the tournament. After nearly five hours of grueling combat in the opening round against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, the German dispatched France's Quentin Halys in another marathon, winning 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7-3), 6-7(3-7), 6-3 in four and a half hours on Friday . The 28-year-old, in his debut as a Grand Slam top seed, admitted these battles could be exactly what he needs after subpar results in Montreal and Cincinnati . Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada suffered an upset, losing 1-3 to Russia's Karen Khachanov to become the highest-seeded casualty so far . In women's singles action, Naomi Osaka of Japan survived a scare to beat Czech player Katerina Siniakova 2-1, while Filipino Alexandra Eala advanced in straight sets .
Key Points
- Zverev's first-round match against Sonego lasted 4 hours 53 minutes, finishing past midnight; he came back from 1-2 down to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-5, 6-4
- This marked his second-longest Grand Slam match, following a 5-hour 27-minute battle with Carlos Alcaraz in January
- In Round 2, Zverev defeated Halys (ranked 52nd) after two tiebreaks, including a crucial 7-3 minibreak win in the third set
- His next opponent is Chile's Alejandro Tabilo in the third round
- Auger-Aliassime won the first-set tiebreak 7-5 but then lost three consecutive sets 3-6, 2-6, 2-6 to Khachanov
Why It Matters
Zverev's grueling start raises questions about his stamina heading into the later rounds, especially since Jannik Sinner's absence elevated him to the top seed . His admission that he has been struggling at recent tournaments suggests this US Open could define his season, while his dramatic victories demonstrate the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis where ranking alone does not guarantee smooth progression.
Zverev's grueling start raises questions about his stamina heading into the later rounds, especially since Jannik Sinner's absence elevated him to the top seed . His admission that he has been struggling at recent tournaments suggests this US Open could define his season, while his dramatic victories demonstrate the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis where ranking alone does not guarantee smooth progression.