US Open: Lorenzo Sonego Comes Close to an Upset Against Alexander Zverev
Lorenzo Sonego was defeated at the end of a hard-fought match against Alexander Zverev, who managed to stage a comeback after trailing two sets to one and being on the verge of defeat in the fourth set. The German won with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4, thereby advancing to the second round of the US Open. Despite the loss, Sonego put on a top-notch performance, playing aggressively and frequently trying different approaches.
From the start, the Turin native tried to take the initiative, serving effectively, coming to the net, and varying his play. In the first set, he managed to keep pace with Zverev, but in the seventh game, he was broken, allowing the German to take the lead. Sonego then saved four set points on his own serve, but Zverev held on to his lead and closed out the set 6-4.
In the second set, Sonego stepped up his game and managed to put his opponent in more trouble. After failing to capitalize on an early opportunity, he broke Zverev’s serve, aided by a few errors from Zverev. He was particularly effective on his serve, especially with his first serve, and closed out the set 6-3 with an ace, leveling the match.
In the third set, Sonego broke serve to take a 5-3 lead, but Zverev fought back, winning 12 of the next 14 points to make it 6-5. The set still went to a tiebreak, marked by several lead changes. Sonego finally prevailed 9-7, capitalizing on a double fault by Zverev on set point, and thus took a two-sets-to-one lead.
In the fourth set, Sonego immediately had to fend off several break points. Zverev then managed to break his serve to make it 3-2, but the Italian recovered shortly afterward and kept the set alive. In the ninth game, Sonego saved four more break points, but in the closing stages, the German once again broke his opponent’s serve and closed out the set 7-5. Before the final set, Sonego also requested a medical timeout due to a problem with his right hand and wrist.
The fifth set remained evenly matched in the early stages. Sonego saved a break point and later even had the opportunity to take a 3-1 lead, but Zverev managed to hold his serve. In the next game, however, the German secured the decisive break. Sonego continued to fight and seek support from the crowd, but was unable to overcome the deficit. Zverev closed out the fifth set 6-4 and advanced to the second round, while Sonego exited the tournament after a five-set match that was closely contested for much of the way against the top seed.
