Zverev reaches US Open quarters, Van De Zandschulp wins fourth-longest match in history

Alexander Zverev, the top seed, continued his Grand Slam campaign with a convincing victory over Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) on Monday night in New York. With this win, the German reached the US Open quarterfinals for the eighth time in his career. Zverev didn't have a smooth start, having to play two five-set matches early. However, in his last two rounds, he has regained his form and completely dominated his opponents. Against Darderi, Zverev lost just five games, with effective serving and good ball control. He finished the match in only 2 hours and 11 minutes. Zverev's next opponent will be Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands. Van De Zandschulp just had a historic win over Arthur Gea in a 5-hour-13-minute thriller. The set scores were 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4. This is the fourth-longest match in US Open history and one of the most dramatic of the tournament. Notably, Arthur Gea, a Frenchman, had a match point in the third-set tiebreaker. He only entered the main draw when Casper Ruud, the 2026 runner-up, withdrew with a back injury. Gea nearly became the first lucky loser in men's major history to reach the quarterfinals but couldn't seize the opportunity in the crucial moments. In another five-set match, Karen Khachanov of Russia defeated American Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4 in 3 hours and 50 minutes. Tien was expected to give the host country four men in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2026. However, he couldn't surpass the Russian veteran. Other Americans like Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Alex Michelsen advanced on Sunday, along with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Khachanov will face Alexander Blockx, the 28th seed, who defeated Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Blockx made Belgian tennis history by becoming the first player from his country to reach the US Open quarterfinals. From a physical perspective, Van De Zandschulp may have reason to worry about having only 48 hours to recover before facing Zverev. Zverev has played fewer minutes and is in consistent form. Conversely, Van De Zandschulp endured a grueling time on court, which could affect his fitness. But US Open history shows that many players have won after marathon matches and still performed well in the next round. The quarterfinal is expected to take place within the next two days. Fans are looking forward to an exciting clash between the world No. 1 and a player in high form.