Midnight excitement at the US Open! Alexander Zverev survives Sonego’s scare in the first round
Top seed Alexander Zverev overcame a formidable challenge from Lorenzo Sonego in a five-set thriller, advancing in his quest for a second Grand Slam title.
Image: Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his first-round match against Italian Lorenzo Sonego at the US Open on Tuesday. Photography: IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS/Jeff Burke
Key points
- Alexander Zverev, the first seed, defeated Lorenzo Sonego in five sets.
- Zverev, the French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up, topped the rankings in New York in the absence of world number one Jannik Sinner due to injury.
- Zverev was two points away from defeat at one stage, but he maintained his composure when it was important to set up a confrontation with Quentin Hales.
Top seed Alexander Zverev survived a major scare at the US Open after defeating Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 in an exciting first-round match that lasted nearly five hours and extended into the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Zverev arrived in New York as a major champion for the first time after winning the French Open in June and is widely seen as the man to beat in the absence of world number one Jannik Sinner and the recent return of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz from injury.
Image: Lorenzo Sonego helps Alexander Zverev after he fell during their first round match. Photography: IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS/Robert Deutsch
Zverev took advantage of only one of seven opportunities to break his opponent’s serve to win the first set, before Sonego, ranked 89th in the world, responded in the second set, breaking his serve early and changing the style of play before serving strongly and clinching the set with an ace.
Zverev’s amazing reaction
Image: Alexander Zverev found himself two points from defeat before securing a decisive hold in the fourth set. Photography: Brendan McDiarmid/Reuters
The back-and-forth third set went to a tiebreaker, where a double fault from Zverev gave Sonego the first chance he needed to go ahead 2-1.
After the two players exchanged breaks in the fourth set, Zverev found himself two points from defeat before securing a decisive hold and breaking his serve to force a decider.
Image: Alexander Zverev’s reaction. Photography: IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS/Jeff Burke
Zverev completed the turnaround as Sonego ran out of energy, and the German was happy to avoid becoming the first top seed to lose in the first round of a Grand Slam since Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon in 2003.
“I’m happy with my win, that’s all,” Zverev said.
“I think it was an amazing fight, a lot of ups and downs, for about five hours. I think it was my longest first-round match at a Grand Slam.
Photo: Italian Lorenzo Sonego while playing. Photography: IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS/Jeff Burke
He added: “He could have beaten a lot of players, but I am happy to qualify.
“I’m happy that I won this type of fight and it was exactly what I needed… Good things happen after fighting these matches.”
In the next match, Zverev will face Frenchman Quentin Hales.
