In a commanding performance, top seed Alexander Zverev secured his place in the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday, defeating Italy's Luciano Darderi in straight sets. The match, held on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium court, concluded with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), taking just 2 hours and 30 minutes.
This victory marked a significant turnaround for Zverev, who had previously faced grueling five-set battles in his opening matches of the tournament. The German, who is the reigning French Open champion, expressed relief at the quicker pace of this match. "I don’t know what to do with myself because it’s before midnight," Zverev joked in his post-match interview. "Compared to the first two matches, the level has been going up."
Zverev demonstrated his dominance early in the match, breaking Darderi's serve twice to establish a 3-0 lead in the first set. The 21st seed struggled to find his rhythm, and Zverev capitalized on this, easily taking the first set. The second set mirrored the first, with Zverev again securing an early double break, allowing him to maintain control and head into the third set with a commanding lead.
In the third set, Darderi showed signs of resilience, finding his range with powerful forehands and managing to hold off four break points in a critical 11th game. This effort propelled the set into a tie-break. However, Zverev's superior service game shone through, as he took a decisive lead in the tie-break and eventually sealed the match with his 13th ace.
Reflecting on the match, Zverev acknowledged Darderi's improved play in the third set, stating, "I barely saw anyone hit the ball as hard consistently as he did in the third set." With this victory, Zverev sets his sights on facing Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp in the upcoming quarter-finals.
Van de Zandschulp's path to the quarter-finals was a dramatic one, as he staged a remarkable comeback against Arthur Gea. After dropping the first two sets, the Dutch player rallied to win in five sets, with a final score of 3-6, 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. This victory not only secured his place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2021 but also denied Gea a chance to make history as the first men's lucky loser to reach this stage of a Grand Slam.
Van de Zandschulp's match lasted an exhausting five hours and 13 minutes, just shy of the record for the longest match at the US Open. After his victory, he expressed disbelief at his endurance, saying, "No clue actually, crazy comeback -- five hours, 15 minutes, still standing, so that’s a good thing." As he prepares to face Zverev, van de Zandschulp is eager to build on his recent success, noting, "It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I think tomorrow it’s going to be a great feeling."
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