Alexander Zverev did not have the best preparation for the US Open, suffering early exits in both Montreal and Cincinnati. He now also has to deal with the pressure of being the top seed and one of the leading title contenders, which could bring some nerves into his opening-round match.
That creates an opportunity for Lorenzo Sonego to remain competitive and potentially steal a set.
Sonego Faces A Tough Test Against Zverev
- Zverev has a 9–1 record in first-round matches at the US Open.
- He has a 17–3 record against players outside the Top 50 in 2026.
- Sonego has a 3–0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments this year.
- He has lost 20 of his last 21 matches against Top 10 players.
HTH - Alexander Zverev leads 6-0
| Year | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Beijing | R1 | Hard | Alexander Zverev | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2025 | Halle | R16 | Grass | Alexander Zverev | 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) |
| 2024 | Halle | R16 | Grass | Alexander Zverev | 6-4, 7-6(5) |
| 2024 | United Cup | – | Hard | Alexander Zverev | 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2023 | Dubai | QF | Hard | Alexander Zverev | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 2021 | Monte Carlo | R2 | Clay | Alexander Zverev | 6-3, 6-3 |
Zverev Brings a Strong Season Despite Recent Setbacks
Alexander Zverev suffered early exits in both of his lead-up events before the US Open, losing to Tallon Griekspoor in the opening round in Montreal and to Tommy Paul in the third round in Cincinnati.
These recent results have been somewhat disappointing considering his strong consistency earlier in the year, when he recorded nine semifinal-or-better finishes, including a Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon.
The German has made 10 main-draw appearances at the US Open and cleared the opening-round hurdle on nine occasions, including reaching the final in 2020.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| Age | Born 20 April 1997 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 2 |
| Career High | No. 2 (13 June 2022) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 3 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 25 |
Lorenzo Sonego Seeks to Halt His Ranking Slide
Lorenzo Sonego struggled with fitness issues earlier this year, which limited his schedule and sidelined him for two months. He won only five main-draw matches across his first 10 tournaments.
However, recent results, including third-round appearances at Wimbledon and Winston-Salem last week, have given him some much-needed confidence. He will look to build on those performances and halt his slide down the rankings.
He has made eight main-draw appearances at the US Open and cleared the opening-round hurdle on five occasions, with his most recent win here coming in 2023.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Age | Born 11 May 1995 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 89 |
| Career High | No. 21 (04 October 2021) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 92 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 4 |