Top seed Zverev survives five-hour US Open thriller

Top seed Alexander Zverev survived an almost five-hour five-set first-round scare against Lorenzo Sonego at Arthur Ashe Stadium, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4. He then advanced to the third round by beating Frenchman Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in about four-and-a-half hours. The men’s draw had been reshaped by Jannik Sinner’s absence and Novak Djokovic’s opening-round exit, and Zverev’s late survival helped preserve his leading status. During the Halys match, Zverev switched drenched shoes mid-game with the chair umpire’s permission, drawing frustration from fans at the interruption. Zverev recovered from a 4-1 deficit in the third set, held key late moments, and forced errors on decisive points to win the fifth set. He will face Alejandro Tabilo next after booking his third-round spot.