Zverev wins second straight five-setter at US Open

Zverev Survives Another Five-Set Thriller to Advance at US Open Top seed Alexander Zverev was pushed to the brink for the second consecutive match, ultimately grinding out a grueling five-set victory over France's Quentin Halys to reach the third round of the US Open on Friday, September 4, 2026. The German star clinched the demanding encounter, which lasted four hours and 33 minutes, concluding just after 2:15 a.m. local time on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. The 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(7-3), 6-3 win marked Zverev's second straight match that stretched the full five sets. His opening-round contest against Lorenzo Sonego also went the distance, lasting nearly five hours and finishing in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Zverev has now spent close to 10 hours on court in his first two matches of the tournament. Despite his progression, Zverev acknowledged his performance was not at its peak. "The performance was quite not well, to be honest, but I won, that's the most important thing," he stated in an on-court interview. He added that enduring such physically taxing matches is precisely what his training is for, allowing him to prevail even when not playing his best.