Zverev goes distance to scrape into third round as upsets rock US Open

What the report says

Alexander Zverev, the top seed in the men’s draw, advanced to the third round of the US Open after a hard-fought five-set win over France’s Quentin Halys in New York on Thursday night, finishing shortly before 2:15am Friday on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that the German laboured through a four-hour, 33-minute match and said afterward that he was “winning ugly” as he continued his bid for a first US Open title.

The men’s tournament also saw a series of notable exits. Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime lost to Russia’s Karen Khachanov after appearing physically unwell, while sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur was beaten by Botic van de Zandschulp. Australia’s Dane Sweeny produced one of the day’s biggest surprises by defeating 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti to reach the third round of a major for the first time. The article notes that Van de Zandschulp had also pulled off a major upset at Flushing Meadows in 2024.

On the women’s side, several leading names progressed. Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva all moved into the third round. Gauff overcame Paula Badosa in straight sets, Swiatek beat Nadia Podoroska, and Osaka recovered after dropping the second set to defeat Katerina Siniakova. The results mattered because they underscored a day of volatility in the men’s draw while the top women’s contenders largely advanced as expected.