The conclusion of the match at 2:15 a.m. stands as the second-latest finish for a second-round contest in the history of the US Open. By surviving this latest challenge, Zverev has now spent over nine hours on court across his first two matches, narrowly avoiding what would have been the earliest exit for a top seed at the tournament since 2000.
A historic start and a shifting tournament landscape
Zverev’s victory established a unique piece of tennis history, as he became the first top-seeded man in the Open Era—dating back to 1968—to begin a major tournament with back-to-back five-set matches. Having previously edged past Lorenzo Sonego in his opening round, the German player has been forced to work significantly harder than anticipated to maintain his position in the draw.
While Zverev managed to survive, the tournament saw further upheaval among the top-seeded men. Felix Auger-Aliassime, the third seed, suffered a defeat to Karen Khachanov, falling 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Auger-Aliassime attributed his performance to physical distress, noting that he felt dizzy and unable to move effectively during the match. Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur was eliminated in straight sets by Botic Van De Zandschulp. These results mean that four of the top 10 seeds have already been knocked out before the third round, following the earlier exit of fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic.
In contrast to the struggles of the top seeds, other contenders navigated their second-round matches with greater ease. Taylor Fritz, the 2024 runner-up, delivered a dominant performance to sweep past Mattia Bellucci 6-0, 6-1, 6-1. Additionally, fifth-seeded Flavio Cobolli overcame a slow start to defeat Tristan Schoolkate 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, ensuring his progression in the tournament.
