Alexander Zverev has finally conquered the Grand Slam hurdle that had eluded him for years. After claiming his first major title at the 2026 French Open, the German is already looking for more. His hunger for further success has followed him to New York.
The World No.2 opened his US Open campaign with a gruelling five-set win over Lorenzo Sonego. After almost five hours on court, Zverev defeated the Italian 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-5, 6-4 to keep his hopes of winning a second Grand Slam title alive.
“There was definitely some weight on my shoulders, especially at the age that I’m at. You never know if it’s ever going to happen,” Zverev told JioHotstar.
He said winning his first major trophy at Roland Garros brought immense satisfaction, but also created a desire to achieve even more.
“I was very happy to have finally lifted my first Grand Slam trophy, but once you do it, you want more. You want to keep going, continue playing good tennis and hopefully be a contender for the next one as well,” he said.
Zverev's breakthrough came in June when he defeated Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in a dramatic French Open final. The triumph ended a long period of disappointment for the German, who had previously lost three Grand Slam finals, including the 2020 US Open final.
“I think it was just the result of the work that I’ve done over the years. A lot of times, I came up just short,” Zverev said.
He believes his belief in his ability to finish the job was crucial during the fifth set against Cobolli, something he had perhaps lacked in his previous major finals.
“That’s what maybe made the difference in the end against Flavio in the fifth set. I was feeling really ready to win, which was a different kind of feeling compared to the other finals,” he said.
While pleased to have finally broken through, Zverev's attention has now shifted to New York, where he wants to repeat that success.
ZVEREV'S FIRST MAJOR CHANGED EVERYTHING
For much of his career, Zverev occupied an uncomfortable position: he was consistently good enough to challenge for Grand Slam titles but struggled to win the biggest matches. He reached the 2020 US Open final before also finishing runner-up at the 2024 French Open and 2025 Australian Open.
His victory in Paris was therefore a major turning point. On his fourth appearance in a Grand Slam final, Zverev finally became a major champion after overcoming Cobolli in five sets and removed the biggest unanswered question surrounding his career.
The title also gave him something that rankings and statistics could not provide — the confidence that he could close out the most important matches.
“I feel like I’m finding my rhythm, I feel like I’m finding my game again, which is a very nice feeling. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead, and hopefully I can be at my best again,” Zverev said.
FROM ROLAND GARROS GLORY TO US OPEN DREAM
New York quickly demonstrated that another Grand Slam title would require another major fight.
Zverev started strongly against Sonego by taking the opening set, but the Italian responded by winning the next two, including a third-set tie-break. The German then found himself on the verge of defeat in the fourth set before producing a crucial comeback.
Zverev eventually levelled the match and carried that momentum into the deciding set, where he secured a 6-4 victory to complete the comeback.
It was far from an ideal opening for the top seed, but surviving such a demanding encounter could prove valuable. Early defeats in Toronto and Cincinnati had raised concerns over his form, making his ability to navigate a near-five-hour battle an important confidence boost.
“I feel like I have done it after the French Open, and then I haven’t done it the last two tournaments,” Zverev had admitted before the tournament. “But I definitely feel like my game has been coming back.”
His next opponent will be France's Quentin Halys, but Zverev's ambitions extend well beyond simply reaching the third round.
After waiting years to win his first Grand Slam, Zverev now knows what it takes to lift a major trophy. Having finally achieved that breakthrough in Paris, he is determined to do it again in New York.
