Alexander Zverev required 4 hours and 33 minutes to overcome world number 52 Quentin Halys in the second round of the US Open. As the final point ended at 2:15 AM on 4/9, New York time, the German player raised both arms in exhaustion and celebration.

"I hope at some point I will start playing better," Zverev stated after the match. "Being introduced as the top seed on this court is great, until you almost lose every match."

This marked Zverev's second consecutive five-set match in the tournament. In the first round, he also needed five sets to defeat Lorenzo Sonego. The 29-year-old player thus became the first top seed in the Open Era to play two five-set matches in the first two rounds of a Grand Slam.

Alexander Zverev during his second-round victory over Quentin Halys at the US Open, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, US on 4/9/2026. Photo: Reuters

The continuous late-night matches further test Zverev's physical endurance. After his win against Sonego, he mentioned not being able to sleep until 5 AM. Less than two days later, the world number two player endured over four and a half hours on court in New York's hot and humid conditions.

Zverev's performance has not yet matched his status as a leading contender. The reigning Roland Garros champion played inconsistently against Halys, often appearing to take control only to let his opponent back into the match. Two of the four initial sets were decided by tie-breaks, with both players sharing the wins, before Zverev made the difference in the decisive set.

Despite his struggles, Zverev's chances of advancing deep into the tournament are increasing as his bracket continues to lose notable players. This comes as Jannik Sinner is absent due to injury, and Carlos Alcaraz has only recently returned after nearly four months out with a wrist issue.

Zverev is currently the only top 20 player remaining in his quarter-final bracket. In the third round, the top seed will face Alejandro Tabilo, the number 25 seed, an opponent he has never lost to.

Another potential opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, has also been eliminated. The number 13 seed, who held a 3-2 head-to-head advantage over Zverev, suffered from physical issues and lost to Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-6.

Number six seed Alex de Minaur, who could theoretically have met Zverev in the quarter-finals, also exited after losing to Botic van de Zandschulp in just three sets. Consequently, the German player's path to the fourth round and then the quarter-finals is now significantly clearer.

Among the remaining players in the men's singles draw, only six have reached a Grand Slam final, and three have won a major title. Zverev just won his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros 2026, Alcaraz holds seven major titles, and Daniil Medvedev was the US Open champion in 2021.

Taylor Fritz, the number five seed and US Open runner-up in 2024, could potentially meet Zverev in the semi-finals. The American player is in good form, losing only two games in his second-round match against Mattia Bellucci. Meanwhile, Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli has played nine sets across two rounds.

Number three seed Felix Auger-Aliassime became the highest-ranked player to be eliminated. The Canadian player won the first set but lost to Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 3-6, 2-6, 2-6.

Karen Khachanov celebrates his victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, US on 3/9/2026. Photo: Reuters

Auger-Aliassime revealed he began feeling unwell quite early. "After about one and a half sets, I started feeling dizzy, seeing spots in front of my eyes, and I couldn't recover," the 26-year-old said. "I thought it would pass, but it didn't. I've never felt like that before."

Auger-Aliassime had previously reached the US Open semi-finals two times. He stated that his condition this time was different from cramps or typical fatigue at the end of long matches, and there were no warning signs in the days leading up to the match.

The day of play also saw the final Grand Slam match of Gael Monfils's career. The 40-year-old French player lost to number 14 seed Learner Tien 3-6, 4-6, 3-6 and will retire at the end of the season.

Monfils disclosed he has already prepared for his post-retirement career. "I've signed a contract to work in wealth management for a Swiss company," he said. "My next chapter will be working in an office and in the finance industry. I will still follow tennis because I love this sport. My wife, Elina Svitolina, is also still playing."

Vy Anh