Zverev battles through a marathon five‑set clash to book a US Open third‑round spot

It was past midnight, the humid New York night humming in the background, when Alexander Zverev finally tucked away his racket after a brutal 4‑hour‑33‑minute duel. The German No. 2 seed had just bested France’s Quentin Halys in a five‑set rollercoaster that swung wildly, finally landing him a spot in the third round of the US Open.

The scoreline reads like a textbook of tension: 6‑4, 4‑6, 7‑6(3), 6‑7(3), 6‑3. Those numbers hide the reality of a match that saw Zverev’s usually steady baseline game wobble, forehand errors cropping up at the worst moments, and his serve stepping up when the pressure was at its peak, especially in that nail‑biting third‑set tiebreak.

Halys actually looked in control for stretches – at one point he was up 4‑1 in the third set and even had a break point that could have stretched the lead to 5‑1. Yet Zverev, somehow, found a second wind, clawing back and forcing a tiebreak that he eventually took 7‑6(3). The rally of the night, though, was the sheer number of chances: 29 aces, 20 break‑point opportunities and five conversions, all signs of a player who, despite admitting “the performance was quite s*,” relied on his physical conditioning to survive.

When the final point landed, the German ripped his shirt off – a habit perhaps as familiar to fans as his powerful forehand. “That’s what I go to the gym for,” he said, half‑laughing, half‑grinning. He wasn’t hiding the fact that he felt far from his best, but he also knew that endurance and mental grit often matter more than flawless strokes in a Grand Slam.

Looking ahead, Zverev now prepares to face 25th‑seed Alejandro Tabilo. The Chilean, whom Zverev also beat in the opening round last year, will be another test. For the 29‑year‑old, this tournament carries extra weight: after a Roland Garros triumph earlier this season, a US Open title would be his second Grand Slam crown and the first at Flushing Meadows – a dream he almost realised in 2020 when he lost a two‑set lead in the final.