Top-seeded Alexander Zverev narrowly avoided an upset at the US Open on Tuesday, defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in a grueling five-set match that lasted nearly five hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Zverev secured the victory 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 6-4, closing out the match at 1:55 a.m. after an intense contest marked by exceptional shot-making and unforced errors from both players.
Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set and facing two match points, Zverev held serve, broke Sonego in the following game, and then took the decisive break in the final set. The win extended Zverev’s unbeaten streak against Sonego to seven matches. “I’m just happy I won, that’s it,” Zverev said afterward, acknowledging the toughness of the encounter and noting that such a battle was necessary after recent underwhelming performances on hard courts.
On the women’s side, world number two Elena Rybakina advanced comfortably, defeating American wild card Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Rybakina, a contender for her third Grand Slam title and the top ranking, showed no signs of the left heel injury that forced her withdrawal from the Cincinnati quarterfinals earlier this month. She saved both break points she faced in a polished performance against the powerful but inconsistent 19-year-old.
Coco Gauff also moved through her second-round match with relative ease, overcoming Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-4. Gauff displayed an improved serve and resilience when Sonmez challenged in the second set, particularly during a critical 3-all game where Gauff saved three break points before breaking to secure the lead. “I was just trying not to panic,” Gauff said, describing how she adjusted as Sonmez raised her level and approached the net.
Additionally, women’s French Open champion Mirra Andreeva reached the third round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Indonesia’s Janice Tjen. The fifth seed, who has struggled on North American hard courts this season, delivered a strong performance to register her second recent win against Tjen. “I was just trying to be very aggressive,” Andreeva said after the match.
Among the men, fifth-seeded Flavio Cobolli staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Argentina’s Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in a four-hour, 13-minute match on Louis Armstrong Stadium. After an inconsistent start, the Italian rallied impressively, celebrating his first-ever recovery from such a deficit in a Grand Slam match. “In a Grand Slam it’s never done. You have to fight to the last point,” Cobolli remarked.
American players Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz also advanced on Tuesday. Keys, a former Australian Open champion who exited early last year, overcame 19-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4. Fritz, the ninth seed, recorded a straight-sets win against compatriot Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
While play on the indoor Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums proceeded as scheduled, outdoor courts experienced significant weather disruptions. A nearly four-hour delay postponed the start of matches, followed by additional interruptions during the evening. Five matches were postponed entirely and several others suspended, with play set to resume Wednesday.