Tennis player Alexander Zverev faced a true marathon in his debut at the US Open 2026, held on September 2, 2026. The confrontation against Italian Lorenzo Sonego lasted almost five hours, demanding resilience from the German athlete. Zverev managed to win by 3 sets to 2, with partials of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5 and 6-4. The tense battle, which lasted 4 hours and 52 minutes, took place at the famous Arthur Ashe stadium and was only concluded in the early hours of the morning, New York time.
After the exhausting game, the German tennis player commented on the difficulty of the start of the competition. “Almost five hours for a first round. I think it was the longest first round match I’ve ever played in my entire life,” Zverev said. He also praised his opponent: “The credit goes to him. He played very well today, he would have beaten several players, I’m sure, but I’m happy to have advanced.”
Zverev is the main seed and avoids a historic negative feat
Sinner’s absence elevated Alexander Zverev to the number one position in the tournament and second in the world. With this position, the German tennis player escaped a negative feat that had not occurred in more than two decades in Grand Slams. The last time such a highly ranked tennis player was eliminated in the first round of a Major was in 2003, when Ivo Karlovic surprised Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon. At the US Open, the situation dates back to 1990, with Stefan Edberg’s defeat to Alexander Volkov.
The history between Sonego and Zverev records seven clashes, all won by the German. Although the Italian lost the opening set, he demonstrated great ability to turn the score around, winning the next two sets, one of which was decided in a tie-break. However, Zverev showed strength by breaking his opponent’s serve twice in the fourth set, regaining control and securing victory in the fifth and decisive set, reversing the deficit.
“I’m happy I won a battle like that, because it was exactly the kind of match I needed,” said Zverev. He also acknowledged his recent performance: “I did poorly in the last two tournaments I played. And sometimes good things happen after you fight in a match like that. I hope that will be the case for me in this tournament.”
Following the tournament, the German tennis player will have Quentin Haly as his next opponent. In 2026, Zverev had an impressive year, winning his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and reaching the Wimbledon final, where he was beaten by Sinner.
Monfils celebrates 40 years with historic victory at the US Open
Gael Monfils participates in his last career Grand Slam, receiving a special invitation to the US Open. The French tennis player marked the first round with a victory over Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Valejo by 3 sets to 1, with scores of 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-0. The triumph was even more significant because it occurred on his 40th birthday. With this, Monfils equaled the feat of Jimmy Connors in 1992, becoming the oldest tennis player to win a match at the US Open, at 40 years old.
After the game at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Monfils expressed his excitement. “Playing here on my 40th birthday was very special,” said the tennis player. He also praised the city: “The atmosphere in New York is always electric. I feel great here, I always try to play well and give you a show.”
In the next phase, Monfils will face American tennis player Learner Tien, who is ranked 12th in the world. The clash is scheduled for 12pm, on a future date that will be defined for the next round.
