US Open 2026: Top seed Alexander Zverev battles past Lorenzo Sonego in five sets to reach second round

Alexander Zverev survived a huge first-round scare at the 2026 US Open, battling past Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in five sets at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday.

The top seed defeated Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-5, 6-4 in a marathon contest that lasted four hours and 53 minutes. The match, played on Arthur Ashe Stadium, finished at 1.55 AM local time on Wednesday. The victory keeps Zverev's US Open 2026 campaign alive as he aims to go one better from 2020, when he lost to Dominic Thiem in the final.

The victory was particularly significant for Zverev because he entered the tournament as the top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

The German, currently ranked No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, arrived in New York with considerable expectations after winning the French Open earlier this season.

However, Sonego made sure Zverev had to work for his place in the second round.

Zverev takes early advantage

Zverev made the better start and secured the opening set 6-4. The German was unable to maintain that advantage in the second, though, as Sonego raised his level and drew the match level with a 6-3 set.

The Italian then moved ahead in a tense third set. Neither player was able to establish a decisive advantage during the set, forcing a tie-break. Sonego held his nerve to take it 9-7 and move within one set of a major upset.

Zverev was consequently under immense pressure in the fourth set. Sonego continued to attack the net and put the top seed in uncomfortable positions, but Zverev found a way to stay in the contest.

The German was two points from defeat while serving at 4-5 in the fourth set, according to the ATP. He managed to escape that situation and subsequently broke Sonego to take the set 7-5, forcing a decider.

German holds his nerve in deciding set

The fifth set again produced a tense battle, but the German eventually found the breakthrough he needed. 

He converted one of his five breaks from 22 opportunities across the match and closed out the decider 6-4 to complete the comeback.

Zverev finished the contest with 61 winners and won 175 total points, compared with Sonego's 51 winners and 169 points. He also converted five of his 22 break-point opportunities, while Sonego converted three of five.

The victory extended Zverev's perfect record against Sonego to 7-0 in their head-to-head matchups. Despite that dominant previous record, Sonego's performance ensured the latest meeting was far closer than the numbers suggested.