{
  "id": 5025787,
  "title": "US Open: Top seed Alexander Zverev avoids first-round disaster, holds off Lorenzo Sonego in 5 sets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/us-open-top-seed-alexander-zverev-avoids-first-round-disaster-holds",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T05:55:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/article/us-open-top-seed-alexander-zverev-avoids-first-round-disaster-holds-off-lorenzo-sonego-in-5-sets-055542986.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Top-ranked Alexander Zverev narrowly escaped a first-round upset at the US Open on Tuesday, defeating Italian newcomer Lorenzo Sonego in a grueling five-set match that lasted five hours. The No. 1 seed secured a 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Sonego, who was just two points away from winning in four sets before the German's break in the final set. The extended match concluded at 1:55 a.m. local time, making it the sixth time since the Open Era began that a top seed has fallen in the first round, and the first time in over two decades. Zverev will face Quentin Halys in the second round. Despite converting only five of his 22 break points and committing nearly as many unforced errors (39 to 43), Zverev's dominance in the fifth set proved decisive in his narrow escape from history.",
  "summary": "That could have been a whole lot worse for Alexander Zverev.",
  "key_points": [
    "Alexander Zverev defeats Lorenzo Sonego in five-set US Open match",
    "Zverev narrowly avoids first-round upset, first top seed in over 2 decades",
    "Match lasts five hours, concludes at 1:55 a.m. local time"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The top seed's narrow escape, ending in a fifth-set surge, spares him from joining a rare group of major upsets and sets up a second-round match against Quentin Halys.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Zverev out-lasts Sonego in wild five-setter to advance at US Open",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/zverev-out-lasts-sonego-in-wild-five-setter-to-advance-at-us-open",
        "published": "2026-09-02T06:23:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}