Zverev Grinds Out Second Straight Five-Setter, Advances at US Open as Four Top-10 Men's Seeds Go Down

Since Novak Djokovic's fourth-seed exit last Sunday opened the door on the men's side at Flushing Meadows, four more top-10 seeds have followed him out.

Alexander Zverev, the top seed after Jannik Sinner's withdrawal, remains in the draw, but he's not making it look easy.

The German needed five sets and 4 hours and 33 minutes to beat 52nd-ranked Frenchman Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, finishing at 2:15 a.m. Friday on Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to AFP. It's the second-latest second-round finish in US Open history, according to TheScore.

That comes on the heels of a five-set survival act against 89th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego that didn't wrap until shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday. Combined, Zverev has spent 9 hours and 26 minutes on court through two rounds, according to Voz.

TheScore reported that makes Zverev the first top-seeded man to play back-to-back five-set matches to open a Grand Slam in the Open Era, which dates to 1968. He's also avoided the earliest exit by a No. 1 seed since Andre Agassi in 2000.

Zverev wasn't pretending it was pretty. "The performance was quite s* to be honest, but I won, that's the most important thing," he said, according to AFP. "I'm winning ugly right now. It's also a skill to win ugly and when you're not playing great tennis. I think I've mastered that right now."

To Voz, he framed it differently: "This is why I go to the gym, this is why I go to the court, this is why I train. To be able to come out on top in these difficult moments."

Zverev next faces 25th-seeded Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, whom he beat in last year's tournament opener.

The Upset Column Keeps Growing

Third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime became the highest-ranked casualty of the tournament so far, falling 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to 50th-ranked Karen Khachanov. Auger-Aliassime said he felt physically compromised mid-match. "I thought maybe it would pass, but it didn't," he said, describing himself as "dizzy and seeing spots," according to AFP.

Khachanov, for his part, said he noticed something was off with his opponent. "I thought maybe he had some physical issues; it's part of our sport," Khachanov said. "From my side I tried to give my best performance, fighting, fighting." Auger-Aliassime committed 47 unforced errors and eight double faults.

Sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur lost in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Van de Zandschulp has a history of ambushing seeds at Flushing Meadows, having knocked out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the second round back in 2024.

Thirteenth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti lost to 123rd-ranked Australian Dane Sweeny, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, sending Sweeny into the third round of a major for the first time in his career.

With Djokovic already gone and now Auger-Aliassime and de Minaur eliminated, Voz noted that Zverev and Alcaraz are the only players left in the draw from the ATP top five. Alcaraz has been dealing with lingering questions about a wrist injury that sidelined him for four months, which is part of why Zverev entered the tournament as the man many expected to beat.

The tournament also said goodbye to 40-year-old Gael Monfils, who lost to 20-year-old American Learner Tien 6-3, 6-4. Monfils has announced he'll retire at the Paris Masters later this year.

Women's Draw Holds Form

On the other side of the bracket, the results have been far more predictable. Fourth-seeded Coco Gauff, the 2023 champion, beat former world No. 2 Paula Badosa 6-4, 7-6 (7/5). "I knew she would raise her level. She's capable of blasting winners," Gauff said, according to AFP.

Iga Swiatek beat Nadia Podoroska 6-3, 6-2. Naomi Osaka survived a second-set wobble to beat Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, closing in on Aryna Sabalenka's No. 1 ranking, beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-4, and Mirra Andreeva rolled past Eva Lys 6-0, 6-2.

Zverev's third-round match against Tabilo will test whether he can find cleaner tennis before the physical toll of two five-setters catches up with him deeper in the draw, where the remaining seeded competition only gets tougher.