Alexander Zverev survives shock Lorenzo Sonega in five-set US Open thriller

Alexander Zverev survived a huge scare at the US Open, fighting back from two sets to one to beat Lorenzo Sonego in a five-set thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The top seed eventually prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3, but was made to work for every inch of the victory that lasted more than four hours.

Zverev entered the contest with a perfect record against Sonega, having won all six of his previous matches. Once the Italian settled into the match, that advantage seemed to mean nothing as he repeatedly tested the German with his aggressive baseline play and powerful serving.

The top seed won the opening set 6-4, but Sonego immediately hit back. The Italian took the second 6-3 before overcoming a tense third-set tiebreak to move to within one set of the stunning upset.

For Zverev, the match suddenly became more of a fight for survival than the routine opening-round task that many expected. The German responded with more aggression in the fourth set, finding enough consistency on his serve and groundstrokes to level the match and force a decision.

ZVEREV FINDS THE PRIZE

The fifth set remained fiercely competitive, with Sonego refusing to let the German escape easily. However, Zverev kept his composure under the most pressure and finally created the necessary opening.

Once in the lead, the top seed didn’t let Sonego back into the contest. He closed out the decider 6-3 to complete the comeback and avoid becoming the first top seed since 2002 to lose in the opening round of the US Open.

The victory was another reminder of Zverev’s Grand Slam pedigree. The 29-year-old arrived in New York as a major champion after winning his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros earlier this year while reaching the Wimbledon final. He is now chasing his second major title and his first US Open crown.

SONEGO PUSHES THE TOP SEED TO THE LIMITS

Sonego leaves New York with a lot of credit after edging out the tournament’s top seeds in a marathon battle. The Italian had never beaten Zverev before Tuesday, but he came close to one of the tournament’s biggest shocks in the opening round.

Zverev will now face Quentin Halys in the second round after the Frenchman defeated Facundo Diaz Acosta. The top seed will be hoping that his run away against Sonego serves as an early warning rather than a sign of things to come as his quest for a second Grand Slam title continues in New York.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

02 Sep 2026 11:41 IST