Alexander Zverev survived a five-set battle against Lorenzo Sonego on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, winning a tense first-round match at the U.S. Open in New York.
The result kept the top-seeded player moving forward in the Grand Slam draw after Sonego pushed the match the distance. For Zverev, it was the kind of opening-round test that can quickly turn into a major setback, but he did enough to avoid the upset and stay in contention.
First-round U.S. Open action
The Zverev-Sonego match was part of a first-round roundup that also included Coco Gauff against Zeynep Sonmez, Gael Monfils against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo and Alexandra Eala against Mary Stoiana on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, all in New York.
That same day, a rain delay hit the Grandstand court, adding another interruption to the early tournament schedule.
Zverev's five-set win was the clearest result in the group of matches and the one with the biggest immediate impact. As the No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam, he entered the event with the weight that comes with that position, and this first-round escape showed how quickly that burden can be tested.
For now, though, the important part is simple: Alexander Zverev is through to the next round, while Lorenzo Sonego exits after a strong opening effort.
