Top seed Alexander Zverev survives near five-hour marathon at US Open

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 3, 2026

Top seed Alexander Zverev narrowly defeated Lorenzo Sonego in a nearly five-hour marathon first-round match at the 2026 US Open, finishing 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4. The victory keeps Zverev in contention for the title amid the absence of other top players and could mark a turning point after his recent struggles.

Alexander Zverev, the top seed at the 2026 US Open, narrowly avoided a historic first-round upset by defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in a marathon match that lasted nearly five hours. The German player emerged victorious with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (6-7), 7-5, 6-4 scoreline late Tuesday into the early hours of Wednesday in New York.

Zverev, who claimed his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June, entered the tournament as a strong favorite following the withdrawal of world number one Jannik Sinner due to a knee injury. The defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz was also absent, recovering from his own injury, positioning Zverev as the player to beat.

The match was marked by an intense battle of momentum shifts and long rallies. Despite holding a perfect 7-0 record against Sonego, who is ranked 89th in the world, Zverev struggled to convert break points, managing only five breaks on 22 opportunities throughout the encounter. Sonego’s speed and defensive play extended rallies and pressured the top seed repeatedly, including during a crucial third-set tiebreaker where Zverev double-faulted to hand Sonego the set.

Zverev broke serve late in the fourth set to avoid defeat after falling behind 4-5 and facing two match points. Sonego required a medical check on his hand or wrist before the deciding set but appeared unaffected. In the final set, Zverev secured an early break and maintained the lead to close out the match after 4 hours and 52 minutes.

Reflecting on the victory, Zverev described the match as the longest first-round contest he had ever played and praised Sonego’s performance. “He would have beaten a lot of players for sure,” Zverev said, expressing relief and satisfaction at advancing. He also noted that overcoming such a demanding match could serve as a turning point, given his struggles in recent tournaments.

Zverev will face French qualifier Quentin Halys in the second round of the tournament. The win allows Zverev to maintain his position as the top seed and a contender for the title amid a field missing several top-ranked opponents.

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