Alexander Zverev staged a dramatic comeback at the 2026 U.S. Open after dropping the first two sets, defeating Italyโs Lorenzo Sonego in a fiveโset thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alexander Zverev put up a valiant fightback at the 2026 US Open after losing two sets, defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in a five-set thriller at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The German tennis player struggled but eventually won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3 in a match that lasted for four hours and 50 minutes, advancing to the second round on Tuesday.
The top-seeded Zverev held an undefeated record against Sonego, winning all six previous matches. The Italian came close to knocking Zverev out in the opening round, but the German survived a major scare to advance.
Zverev seals solid win over Sonego
Zverev started the opening set with a commanding 6-4, but Sonego’s aggressive play helped him fight back to seal a victory by 6-3 in the second set.
He went on to win the third set after an intense tiebreak, closing in to pull off a major upset in the opening round.
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After losing two consecutive sets, it was a do-or-die battle for Zverev, turning the play around with his fierce play to go 6-4, 6-3 in the final two sets to pull off a comeback to dodge making unwanted history of becoming the first men’s top-seeded athlete to lose the opening round at any Grand Slam event since 2003.
More from Tennis NewsZverev clinches 100th Grand Slam win
Zverev’s victory over Sonego at the 2026 US Open was his 100th win at the Grand Slam level, joining elite tennis stars such as Novak Djokovic (129) and Jannik Sinner (100). Notably, Djokovic was knocked out of the tournament after losing to Mariano Navone in the opening round.
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The German tennis player is now among the leading favourites alongside Carlos Alcaraz to win the title. With Sinner withdrawing from the tournament and Djokovic’s early exit, the path has become much more exciting and unpredictable.