Zverev survives another five-set marathon at the US Open and reaches the third round
Alexander Zverev survived another exhausting test at the 2026 US Open and, after more than four and a half hours of tennis, secured a place in the third round. The top seed in the men's draw defeated France's Quentin Halys 6:4, 4:6, 7:6(3), 6:7(3), 6:3 in a match that lasted four hours and 33 minutes, according to official US Open data. The match at Arthur Ashe Stadium ended at around 2:15 a.m. local time in New York, meaning Zverev also finished his second consecutive appearance deep into the night. The German once again failed to produce a performance without fluctuations, but in the decisive moments he managed to find enough quality and physical endurance to avoid an early exit from the final Grand Slam tournament of the season. It was his second consecutive five-set victory after an almost five-hour battle with Lorenzo Sonego in the first round.
Zverev arrived in New York as one of the leading contenders for the title, but so far the start of the tournament has been more of an endurance test than a demonstration of complete control. According to the official US Open, he spent four hours and 53 minutes on court against Sonego in the first round and won 6:4, 3:6, 6:7(7), 7:5, 6:4. Adding those two appearances together, the German spent as much as nine hours and 26 minutes on court in his first two matches. Particularly demanding is the fact that both matches ended in the early morning hours, which, in addition to the physical expenditure during the match itself, further complicates recovery, nutrition, sleep and preparation for the next time he steps onto the court. The ability to recover quickly both physically and mentally will be one of the key factors if Zverev wants to remain in contention for the latter stages of the tournament.
Halys did not allow the top seed to pull away
The start of the match gave no indication of how long the contest would last. Zverev made the only break of the first set, moved ahead 5:4 and then calmly served it out for 6:4. Halys, however, began to make increasingly better use of his powerful first serve and a more aggressive approach in shorter rallies in the second set. The Frenchman resisted Zverev's attempt to apply pressure late in the set, then took advantage of a weaker service game from the German and levelled the match at 1:1. That gave the contest a completely different rhythm: instead of the top seed gradually taking control, a battle developed on court in which every mistake could shift the balance of power.
The third set was particularly important because Halys moved into a 4:1 lead and put Zverev in serious trouble. Reuters reported from New York that the German responded much more decisively at that point, recovered the lost serve and levelled at 4:4. Halys then saved three break points and held serve for 5:4, but the set nevertheless went to a tie-break. Zverev quickly established an advantage there, went ahead 5:1 and won the tie-break 7:3, leaving him one step closer to victory after three sets. Even that moment, however, did not break the French player.
The fourth set was again decided in a tie-break, but this time Halys was the more composed player. The Frenchman won it 7:3 and sent the match into a fifth set, putting Zverev in a situation he already knew well from the first round. In the deciding set, the key moment came in the fifth game, when Halys made a forehand error and handed Zverev a break. The German then held serve, extended his advantage and, at 5:3, broke the exhausted opponent once more. The final point ended with an error from Halys, and Zverev could finally confirm his place among the last 32.
The numbers show just how evenly matched the contest was
The match statistics further explain why the contest lasted more than four and a half hours. According to Tennis.com data, Zverev finished the match with 29 aces, while Halys had 18. The German landed 66 percent of his first serves and the Frenchman 55 percent, but both won 80 percent of the points after making their first serve. A larger difference appeared on the second serve: Zverev won 57 percent of those points, while Halys won 47 percent. At the same time, Zverev committed eight double faults, while his opponent had 12.
One of the details Zverev's team will probably analyse particularly closely is his conversion of break points. According to the same statistical overview, the top seed converted only five of 20 opportunities to break serve, or 25 percent. Halys was more efficient from fewer opportunities and converted three of seven break points. Zverev, on the other hand, won 23 of his 26 service games and found the answer in the fifth set precisely when he needed it most. In a match with so many long stretches without clear dominance, a few points on return and a more stable second serve ultimately made the difference.
That statistical profile simultaneously highlights both the strength and the problem of the top seed. His serve remained effective enough to keep him in the match at crucial moments, but the excessive number of missed opportunities on return prolonged the contest and kept Halys in play. In shorter matches such inefficiency might not be decisive, but at a Grand Slam tournament, where the men's competition is played over best-of-five sets, every additional minute can be felt in the rounds that follow. Zverev has so far found a way to survive such situations, but his path to the latter stages of the US Open will be difficult to sustain if every match requires four or five hours.
Zverev: victory is the most important thing, but the level of play must improve
After the match, Zverev did not try to embellish his own performance. In the on-court interview, he rated his play as very poor but stressed that victory was the most important thing. Reuters reports that he emphasised that it is precisely for moments like these that he trains in the gym and on the running track, so that he can endure when he is not playing his best and when direct points do not come easily. He added that he hopes he will start playing better soon, but that for now he is pleased with the fact that he is in the third round. His reaction neatly sums up the situation he is in: the result is positive, but his level of play is still not what would be expected from the top seed and reigning Grand Slam champion.
Another special dimension is the fact that Zverev is the top seed at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career, Reuters notes. He is currently ranked second in the ATP rankings, but in New York he holds the number one position in the draw. The status of leading seed brings a different kind of expectation, especially after a season in which he finally won his first Grand Slam title. Zverev triumphed at Roland Garros in June, where he defeated Flavio Cobolli 6:1, 4:6, 6:4, 6:7(5), 6:1 in the final, as confirmed by the ATP and the official website of the Paris tournament. That title came after three previous defeats in Grand Slam finals and changed his status from a long-time contender for the biggest trophies into a confirmed Grand Slam champion.
New York also carries special meaning for him. Zverev came close to his first major title at the 2020 US Open, but lost the final against Dominic Thiem after leading by two sets and holding a break advantage. He now returns as a player who has already won a Grand Slam, but also as someone who knows very well how quickly the course of a match can change at this tournament. Two five-set victories at the very start of the 2026 edition are a reminder that even top-seed status offers no guarantees, not even against players ranked considerably lower in the draw.
Halys confirms the best season of his career
Although he missed out on a place in the third round, Quentin Halys left Arthur Ashe Stadium after a performance that confirmed just how much he has progressed during 2026. The Frenchman was ranked 52nd in the world before the match, and in July he won the first ATP title of his career. The ATP states that in the final of the tournament in Kitzbühel he defeated the then defending champion Alexander Bublik 6:4, 7:6(6), firing 17 aces in the process. For the 29-year-old Halys, that trophy was the result of a long journey from a successful junior career to an established place among the world's best professionals.
In New York, the Frenchman had already been forced to play four sets in the first round against Facundo Díaz Acosta, whom he defeated 6:4, 7:5, 6:7(7), 6:1. Against Zverev, he showed that he can compete on equal terms with one of the best servers on Tour and maintain a high level of play for several hours. Particularly impressive was his ability to raise his level again after losing the third-set tie-break and respond in the fourth. In the end, he lacked energy and precision in the deciding set, but the top seed had to complete almost a full marathon to eliminate him.
Halys's performance also demonstrates how unpredictable the men's draw at Grand Slam tournaments can become when a match extends to five sets. A player with a strong serve and enough confidence can keep the score balanced for a long time, while a single tie-break or a few weaker service games from the favourite can completely open up the contest. Zverev experienced exactly that kind of dynamic twice within a few days. Against Sonego he was two points away from defeat, while Halys forced a deciding set after nearly four hours of play. That is an important warning sign for the German ahead of the rest of the tournament.
Almost ten hours on court before the third round
Physical expenditure is now becoming one of the main stories of Zverev's US Open. Official tournament data confirm 4:53 hours against Sonego and 4:33 against Halys, or a total of 9:26 hours of competitive tennis in just two matches. By comparison, a player who gets through the first two rounds in straight sets can often spend several hours less on court and preserve significantly more energy for the second week of the tournament. Zverev is known for his endurance and experience in long matches, but even the best-prepared players are not immune to the cumulative effects of late finishes, long rallies, serving workload and reduced time for quality sleep.
The schedule presents an additional challenge. According to the published schedule for Saturday, September 5, Zverev is due to face 25th seed Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Tabilo came from behind in the second round to defeat Australia's Alexei Popyrin 2:6, 7:6(4), 7:6(3), 6:2, meaning he too enters the next match after a contest in which he had to work for every set. The current ATP rankings place Tabilo 28th in the world, while Zverev is second. Their previous head-to-head record favours the German, who has won both previous meetings, including their match at the 2025 US Open.
Still, the form from the previous rounds warns that this statistical fact cannot be regarded as a guarantee. Tabilo is a left-hander who can alter the usual patterns on serve and return, while Zverev will probably try to shorten points and reduce the number of long rallies. After two nights spent on court until almost two in the morning, every additional set may carry a greater cost than at the start of the tournament. On the other hand, two consecutive five-set victories can strengthen the confidence of a player who knows he can find a solution even when his best shots are not working.
The path to the latter stages remains open, but the quality must improve
After two rounds, Zverev is exactly where he was expected to be as the top seed, but the manner in which he reached that point raises far more questions than the result alone would suggest. Two five-set victories testify to great mental toughness, fitness and an ability to play the most important points under pressure. At the same time, they also show that opponents are currently being given too many opportunities to extend matches, win sets and put him into situations where a single poor decision could end his tournament. At a Grand Slam, the line between resilience and exhaustion is extremely thin.
The broader picture of the season is also important for Zverev. After winning Roland Garros, he no longer has to prove that he can win a Grand Slam title, but he is now expected to confirm that level on different surfaces and in different conditions. The US Open represents an especially demanding test because the hard court rewards his serve and first shot after the serve, but punishes every delay in movement and every lapse in concentration. If he can improve his break-point conversion rate, reduce the number of unnecessary errors and close out sets earlier, the experience of the first two rounds could serve as a source of confidence. If, however, he continues to rely on marathon comebacks, the physical bill could arrive before the final stages of the tournament.
For now, the most important fact remains that the top seed is still in the draw. He has spent almost ten hours on court in two matches, finished both after midnight and in both had to endure periods when he was not playing at his best. Despite that, each time he found a way to win. The third-round match against Tabilo will therefore not only be a battle for a place in the last 16, but also the first true indication of whether Zverev can pick up the pace after two exhausting marathons and begin playing the kind of tennis expected from the top seed.
Sources:
- US Open - official report on Alexander Zverev's victory over Quentin Halys, the score and the duration of the match (link)
- US Open SlamTracker - official score, duration and statistics from Zverev's first-round match against Lorenzo Sonego (link)
- Reuters / KSL.com - report from New York, Zverev's comments after the match and third-round context (link)
- Tennis.com - detailed statistics from the Zverev - Halys match and data on the head-to-head record between Zverev and Tabilo (link)
- ATP Tour - report on Zverev's first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros 2026 (link)
- ATP Tour - report on Quentin Halys's first ATP title in Kitzbühel in 2026 (link)