Top-seeded Alexander Zverev overcame a significant challenge at the US Open on Tuesday, narrowly defeating Lorenzo Sonego in a grueling five-set match that concluded at 1:55 a.m. on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The contest, which lasted four hours and 53 minutes, saw Zverev edge past the 89th-ranked Italian with a final score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 6-4.
Zverev, who was trailing 5-4 in the fourth set and just two points away from elimination, managed to hold serve before breaking Sonego to extend the match. He eventually secured the decisive break in the fifth set. Reflecting on the victory, the German noted, “I’m just happy I won, that’s it. Incredible battle.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the match, adding, “Credit to him, he played an incredible match,” while noting that the intense competition was necessary following his recent lackluster hard-court performances.
While Zverev faced a late-night struggle, world number two Elena Rybakina and former champion Coco Gauff navigated their opening matches with relative ease. Rybakina, who is pursuing her third Grand Slam title, defeated American teenager Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Despite concerns regarding a left heel injury that previously forced her withdrawal from the Cincinnati quarter-finals, Rybakina appeared in top form, saving both break points she faced. She expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting that facing an unknown opponent can be dangerous.
Coco Gauff also progressed, securing a 6-3, 6-4 win against Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez. Although Sonmez briefly challenged Gauff by recovering an early break in the second set, the American regrouped to close out the match. Gauff highlighted the importance of the sixth game in the second set, where she saved three break points, stating, “I think I was just trying not to panic.”
Elsewhere in the draw, fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva continued her strong form by defeating Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2. Andreeva, who recently claimed her first Grand Slam title in Paris, maintained an aggressive approach to secure the win. Meanwhile, Flavio Cobolli staged a dramatic comeback, rallying from two sets down to defeat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The four-hour, 13-minute marathon was a career-first for the Italian, who emphasized the necessity of fighting until the final point in Grand Slam play.
American players Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz also enjoyed successful outings on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Keys overcame initial nerves to beat 19-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4, while ninth-seeded Fritz cruised past Darwin Blanch with a dominant 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 performance.
Tournament play was impacted by weather, with significant rain delays affecting the outside courts. While matches on the covered Ashe and Armstrong stadiums proceeded as scheduled, several other contests faced interruptions, including a near four-hour delay at the start of the day. Consequently, five late matches were postponed, and others were suspended to resume on Wednesday. The report also notes that impossibly angled winners and some inexplicable errors, which wrapped up on Arthur Ashe Stadium after four hours and 53 minutes at 1:55 in the morning, zverev fought off a determined challenge from Sonego in a tense all-court battle spiced by unlikely retrievals. The report also notes that zverev, who followed his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros with a Wimbledon final appearance, notched his seventh win in as many matches against Sonego, ranked 89 in the world. The report also notes that she started coming to the net and playing great tennis. The report also notes that that 3-all game was real important,” added Gauff, who saved three break points in the sixth game and broke in the next for a lead she wouldn’t relinquish. The report also notes that it always can be dangerous, but overall I’m happy with the first match and how it went,” she said, especially when you don’t know your opponent. The report also notes that but she was dialed in as she produced her second win over Tien in less than two weeks. The report also notes that dropping to his knees and raising his arms in celebration after closing out the four-hour, 13-minute marathon, the Italian shook off an erratic start.
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