Alexander Zverev survives five-set thriller to avoid US Open first-round exit
'Nearly five hours for a first round, the longest first-round match I’ve ever played in my life' said Zverev
Published September 02, 2026
Alexander Zverev, the German tennis star, mounted back at the eleventh hour to escape a first-round exit at the U.S. Open on Wednesday, September 3, 2026.
The top seed, Zverev, turned the match around just in time, defeating Italian player Lorenzo Sonego in a five-set match that ended on 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, and 6-4.
Zverev thus survives on the Wednesday morning of becoming the first top-seeded man to lose in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament since 2023, when Ivo Karlovic crushed Lleyton Hewitt at the Wimbledon debacle.
At the U.S. Open, it hasn't happened since 1990, when top-seeded, Stefan Edberg lost to Alexander Volkov in 1990.
Zverev finally managed to break Sonego’s serve late to win the match that lasted for 4 hours, 52 minutes.
In an on-court postgame interview, Zverev said, “Nearly five hours for a first round, I think this is the longest first-round match I’ve ever played in my life.”
“So, credit to him. He played amazing tennis today, would have beaten a lot of players for sure, but I’m happy to be through,” he added.
Zverev became the top-seeded tennis player for the first time when Jannik Sinner withdrawn from the U.S. Open after suffering with a right knee injury.
