Top seed Alexander Zverev delivered a dominant performance at the US Open on Saturday, securing a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 victory against Alejandro Tabilo. The win propelled the German into the last 16, a welcome shift in momentum after he had endured two exhausting five-set matches earlier in the tournament.
Entering this clash, Zverev had logged nine hours and 26 minutes on the court during his opening rounds, marking the highest time commitment for a top seed reaching the third round of a major since 1999. Reflecting on his tactical adjustment, the French Open champion noted, “My coach was actually quite smart — he explained to me a best of five set match doesn’t mean you have to play five sets.”
The match, held at Arthur Ashe Stadium, saw the 25th-seeded Tabilo attempting to avenge a previous loss to Zverev on the same court. However, Zverev opened with clinical precision, failing to face a single break point in the first set. He dominated his service games, winning all 11 points behind his first serve and five of seven on his second, ultimately claiming the set in just 38 minutes.
While Zverev maintained control by breaking early in the second, Tabilo began to find his rhythm, forcing a more competitive exchange. The Chilean managed to secure a break in the eighth game, eventually pushing the set to a tiebreaker. Zverev regained his composure to dominate the tiebreaker, effectively closing the door on Tabilo’s comeback attempt.
The third set saw Tabilo attempt to rally with two break points in the opening game, but Zverev denied him with a series of winners. From that point, Zverev surged ahead, winning the final four games to conclude the match in two hours and 26 minutes. “I am definitely happy with the improvements,” Zverev remarked, noting that his movement and baseline play were significantly sharper than in his previous outings.
Despite his satisfaction, Zverev admitted a lapse in concentration toward the end of the second set. “I was not happy with the second set… I think especially the end of the second set I lost focus a little bit. I was not moving as well. I was not playing as well. But I think the first and third sets are big improvement to the other days,” he added.
The scheduling of the match was impacted by a lengthy battle between Iva Jovic and Alexandra Eala, which delayed the start until nearly 11:00 pm. Zverev expressed his gratitude to the spectators who remained in the stands until after 1:00 am to witness the conclusion of the contest.
Looking ahead, Zverev is set to face Italian 21st seed Luciano Darderi in the fourth round. Darderi earned his spot in the round of 16 by defeating Australian wild card Dane Sweeny in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The report also notes that virtually sprinting to a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 victory over Alejandro Tabilo to reach the last 16 after laboring through a pair of marathon five-sett, top seed Alexander Zverev picked up the pace at the US Open on Saturday.
