Zverev advances to US Open third round after 2:15am finish against Halys, September 4

Top seed Alexander Zverev defeated Quentin Halys 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 in a four-hour, 33-minute match that finished at 02:15 local time on Friday, September 4, per BBC Sport reporting. The finish marks Zverev's second five-set match in as many rounds; his first-round victory against Lorenzo Sonego ended at 5am Wednesday morning. Per BBC Sport, Zverev is the first top seed in the Open era to play two five-set matches in the first two rounds of a major.

Zverev is the 2026 French Open champion and ranked world No. 2. Halys is ranked world No. 52. The match against Halys saw Zverev's level fluctuate wildly, according to BBC Sport reporting. After advancing, Zverev said, per BBC Sport, "I hope at some point I'll start playing better. It's great to be announced as the top seed on this court until you almost lose every time."

The US Open men's draw has thinned dramatically. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is absent with injury, per BBC Sport. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, seeded second, is working his way back to fitness after barely playing for four months with a wrist injury, per BBC Sport reporting. Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, a two-time US Open semi-finalist, lost to Karen Khachanov 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2 6-2. Auger-Aliassime said he was "dizzy and seeing spots" during the loss, per BBC Sport, adding that "after a set and a half he couldn't feel well and was dizzy and seeing spots and couldn't recover, adding he had never felt quite like that before." Sixth seed Alex de Minaur lost on Thursday to Botic van de Zandschulp, per BBC Sport. Thirteenth seed Lorenzo Musetti, who holds a 3-2 head-to-head record over Zverev, per BBC Sport, fell to Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.

Other upsets have reshaped the field. Fifth seed Taylor Fritz lost just two games in his second-round win, per BBC Sport, and Fritz was runner-up to Sinner in New York two years ago. French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli was taken to five sets in his first round and needed four sets to see off qualifier Tristan Schoolkate in round two, per BBC Sport reporting. Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time major finalist, remains alive, as does Daniil Medvedev, who won the US Open in 2021, per BBC Sport. Six of the remaining players in the men's draw have reached Grand Slam singles finals, per BBC Sport, though only three of those six have lifted a major trophy.

Zverev is the only top-20 player remaining in his quarter of the draw, per BBC Sport. His next opponent is 25th seed Alejandro Tabilo, against whom Zverev has never lost, per BBC Sport reporting. Separately, Gael Monfils lost 6-3 6-4 6-3 to 14th seed Learner Tien, ending his Grand Slam career, per BBC Sport. Monfils is retiring at the end of the season and has signed to work in wealth management at a Swiss company, per BBC Sport reporting.