Zverev survives nearly 5 hours against compatriot Sinner, avoiding a historic US Open shock

(Tennis result) Alexander Zverev came from behind to defeat Lorenzo Sonego in a thrilling five-set match, thereby avoiding becoming the first top seed to lose in the opening round of a Grand Slam since 2003.

Alexander Zverev had a tough opening match at the 2026 US Open. The top seed had to play for nearly five hours to overcome Lorenzo Sonego with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4.

Zverev arrived in New York as a Grand Slam champion after winning Roland Garros in June. With Jannik Sinner absent and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz just returning from injury, the German player was considered the top contender for the title.

However, Zverev quickly faced fierce resistance from the world No. 89 opponent. He only converted one of seven break points in the first set, but that was enough to help the top seed win 6-4.

Sonego immediately responded in the second set. The Italian player broke early, completely changed the rhythm of the match, and then won the final service game with an ace to close the set 6-3.

The third set was tight and had to be decided by a tie-break. Zverev committed a double fault at a crucial moment, allowing Sonego to win 9-7 and take a 2-1 lead.

The risk of an upset became clear in the fourth set. The two players exchanged breaks before Zverev found himself just two points away from defeat.

On the brink of elimination, the Roland Garros champion successfully held a crucial service game. He then broke Sonego's serve to win 7-5, forcing the match into a deciding set.

Fatigue set in, causing the Italian player to no longer maintain the same intensity. Zverev took advantage of the opportunity to complete the comeback with a 6-4 win, as the match stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning in New York.

“I just feel happy that I won, that's all. This was an incredible battle with many ups and downs over nearly five hours”, Zverev shared.

The top seed said this could be the longest first-round match he had ever experienced at a Grand Slam. Zverev also paid respect to Sonego, asserting that such a performance would have beaten many other players.

“I'm glad I got through a battle like this. This is exactly the challenge I needed. Good things often come after you fight and survive matches like this”, the German player emphasized.

The victory helped Zverev avoid an unwanted milestone. Had he lost, he would have become the first top seed to be eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam since Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon 2003.

Although he advanced, the opening match showed that Zverev's path to conquering New York will not be easy. The top seed needs to quickly recover his fitness before facing Quentin Halys in the second round.