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Alexander Zverev survived a five-set battle against Lorenzo Sonego at the US Open.
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The German won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 after four hours and 52 minutes.
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Zverev was close to becoming the first men’s top seed to lose in the opening round of a Grand Slam since 2003.
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The 2020 US Open runner-up will face Quentin Halys in the second round.
September 02, (THEWILL) — Alexander Zverev survived one of the biggest scares of the opening round at the US Open after battling past Lorenzo Sonego in a marathon encounter that stretched into Wednesday morning.
The German, competing as the men’s top seed for the first time at a Grand Slam, eventually defeated the Italian 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in a contest lasting four hours and 52 minutes.
The victory spared Zverev from an unwanted place in tennis history, as he was on the verge of becoming the first men’s No. 1 seed to lose in the opening round of a Grand Slam since 2003.
Zverev Survives Major Scare
Zverev entered the tournament carrying the pressure of being the highest-ranked player in the men’s draw after defending champion Jannik Sinner withdrew because of a right knee injury.
However, the German struggled to impose himself on Sonego and repeatedly failed to convert opportunities on the Italian’s serve.
Zverev finished the match just 5-for-22 on break-point opportunities, allowing Sonego to remain within touching distance throughout the contest.
The Italian’s ability to cover the court also caused Zverev problems, with Sonego repeatedly turning potential winners into extended rallies.
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Sonego Comes Within Touching Distance
The match appeared to be slipping away from Zverev during a dramatic third set.
Zverev managed to break when Sonego was serving for the set at 5-4, but the Italian responded strongly in the tiebreak.
The German appeared to have regained control after producing consecutive serves of 133 mph and 141 mph to move 7-6 ahead.
Instead, Sonego won the next two points to take the set, with Zverev eventually double-faulting to hand his opponent a two-sets-to-one advantage.
Suddenly, the top seed was staring at one of the most unexpected first-round exits in recent Grand Slam history.
ZVEREV SURVIVES IN 5️⃣
Alexander Zverev becomes the 11th No. 1 seeded man in the Open Era to win a 1st-round match when pushed to a 5th set 🔥 pic.twitter.com/a46W14GLXW
— ESPN (@espn) September 2, 2026
Zverev Finds a Way Back
The fourth set produced another tense exchange.
Zverev broke for a 3-2 advantage, only for Sonego to immediately break back after a remarkable game in which the Italian chased down shots from one corner of the court to the other.
With the score at 5-4, Sonego moved within two points of victory.
Zverev held his nerve, held serve and then finally found the decisive breakthrough by breaking Sonego to take a 6-5 lead.
He served out the set to force a deciding fifth set.
Sonego received treatment on his hand or wrist before the final set, but appeared able to continue without major restriction.
Zverev then produced the crucial break at 3-2 and protected his advantage for the remainder of the match to finally secure victory.
Zverev Relieved After Marathon Battle
The German admitted the match was one of the longest opening-round encounters of his career but insisted he was pleased with the way he fought through the difficult moments.
“Nearly five hours for a first round, I think this is the longest first-round match I’ve ever played in my life,” Zverev said.
He also praised Sonego for the quality of his performance, acknowledging that the Italian had produced the kind of tennis capable of troubling many players at the tournament.
For Zverev, however, surviving the contest could prove valuable as he looks to build momentum after struggling in his previous two tournaments.
“Actually I’m happy that I won this kind of battle because this is exactly the match that I needed,” he said.
Zverev Turns Attention to Second Round
Zverev now advances to the second round, where he will face Quentin Halys.
Having survived nearly five hours on court and escaped a potential first-round upset, the German will hope the dramatic victory can provide the confidence needed for another deep run in New York.
The 2020 US Open runner-up has already shown that his path through this year’s tournament will not be straightforward, but after surviving his biggest test of the opening round, Zverev remains firmly in the competition.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
