Alexander Zverev Wins First Round Match at US Open in Five Sets

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev won a five-set match against Lorenzo Sonego at the US Open, finishing with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4. The match lasted 4 hours and 52 minutes, concluding at 1:55 a.m. on Wednesday morning at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Zverev was two points away from losing in the fourth set but managed to come back and win. After the match, Zverev expressed his relief and acknowledged the challenge posed by Sonego, stating, "I’m just happy I won. That’s it... Credit to him, he played amazing tennis today." Zverev improved his record against Sonego to 7-0 and noted that this match was crucial for his confidence after struggling in previous tournaments. Historically, men’s top seeds have a strong record in five-set matches in the Open Era, with Zverev's win maintaining that trend. The last time a men's No. 1 seed lost in the first round of a major was in 2003, and none had lost at the US Open since 1990. Sonego had a strong performance, taking the second and third sets, but ultimately could not secure the victory.