Top-seeded Alexander Zverev rallies just in time to avoid a first-round exit at the US Open

Alexander Zverev, the top-seeded player, narrowly avoided a first-round exit at the US Open by defeating Lorenzo Sonego in a hard-fought five-set match. Zverev edged Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted four hours and 52 minutes.

Zverev, who had never played a first-round match that long before, acknowledged the grueling nature of the contest. He credited Sonego for playing "amazing tennis" and expressed happiness at advancing to the next round. Zverev, who had previously won the French Open and lost in the Wimbledon final, was making his first appearance in a Grand Slam final.

With a 7-0 record against Sonego, the German struggled to break the Italian's serve early in the match. However, he managed to break Sonego late in the third set and capitalized on Sonego's slower serve in the fourth set to secure victory. Zverev advanced to face Quentin Halys in the second round, feeling that the challenging match had given him the mental toughness needed to succeed.