Alexander Zverev goes distance again to reach U.S. Open third round
Top seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open after a grueling five-set victory over Quentin Halys that concluded in the early hours of the morning. Zverev acknowledged his performance was subpar but emphasized the importance of securing the win.
Why it matters
The match highlights the physical and mental demands of Grand Slam tennis and the challenges of late-night scheduling for athletes.
Top seed Alexander Zverev was put through the late-night ringer once more before booking his place in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday (September 4, 2026).
The German star, who had finished a five-set first-round battle in the early hours of Wednesday morning, was again forced to go the distance before grinding out a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-3 victory over France’s Quentin Halys.
The 4-hour 33-minute slugfest was another gruelling outing on the Arthur Ashe Stadium show court for Zverev, who clinched victory at just after 2.15am local time.
The 29-year-old, who has spent nearly 10 hours on court in his opening two matches, will face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the next round.
“The performance was quite (not well), to be honest, but I won; that’s the most important thing,” Zverev said in an on-court interview afterwards.
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