Zverev Survives Another Late-Night US Open Test—But What Happened Next Changed His Tournament Path
NEW YORK — Alexander Zverev has powered into the 2026 US Open quarterfinals, putting his difficult opening week further behind him with a straight-sets victory over Italy's Luciano Darderi.
The top-seeded German defeated the No. 21 seed 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) on Monday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, advancing to the last eight for the fifth time at the US Open.
But the victory meant more than simply another quarterfinal appearance.
Zverev has now become the only man to reach the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2026—a remarkable level of consistency across the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Zverev finally got the finish he wanted
The victory was particularly satisfying after a demanding opening stretch in New York.
Zverev had already been pushed through two five-set matches, including a 4-hour, 53-minute battle against Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round. He then endured another lengthy contest against Quentin Halys before defeating Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets.
Against Darderi, however, Zverev was determined not to let the match turn into another marathon.
He immediately applied pressure and took control of the opening set.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Zverev capitalizing on a Darderi mistake to secure another break and race to a 4-0 advantage.
The Italian eventually found another gear in the third.
Darderi began using his powerful first serve and drop shots more effectively, forcing Zverev to work harder and creating genuine tension as the set progressed. But the German held his nerve in the tiebreak and closed out the match 7-3.
And then came the clock
There was another small victory for Zverev when the match finally ended.
After four consecutive night-session appearances and several extremely long matches, he finally walked off the court before midnight, with the match ending at approximately 11:48 p.m. local time.
Zverev even pointed toward his watch during his on-court celebration.
"I don't know what to do with myself, because it's before midnight," he joked afterward.
For a player who had already spent hours on court earlier in the tournament, finishing before midnight was more than a joke—it represented valuable recovery time at the business end of a Grand Slam.
Darderi had already beaten Zverev this year
The result also carried an element of revenge.
Darderi had already defeated Zverev in one of the biggest wins of his career at the 2026 Italian Open in Rome.
In that May encounter, the Italian saved four match points in the second-set tiebreak before completing a stunning comeback, winning 1-6, 7-6(10), 6-0. It was Darderi's first Top 10 victory and his first trip to the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
This time, Zverev left nothing to chance.
The German's straight-sets victory means their 2026 rivalry now includes one dramatic upset for Darderi and one decisive Grand Slam response from Zverev.
A major milestone for Zverev
The victory also strengthens what has already been an impressive Grand Slam season.
Zverev won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2026, finally breaking through after previous major-final defeats.
He had previously reached the US Open final in 2020, where he surrendered a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem and lost in a deciding-set tiebreak. The German also reached the Australian Open final in 2025 and the Wimbledon final in 2026.
Now, with his first major title already secured, Zverev is attempting to add another trophy before the season's final Grand Slam concludes.
Next up: Botic van de Zandschulp
Zverev's next opponent will be Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands.
The Dutchman reached the quarterfinals by surviving a five-set battle with France's Arthur Gea.
Van de Zandschulp won 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(5), 6-3, returning to the US Open quarterfinals for the second time in his career. His previous run to the last eight came in 2021, when eventual champion Daniil Medvedev ended his tournament.
The matchup will be particularly intriguing because, according to the official US Open preview published before Zverev's fourth-round match, Zverev and van de Zandschulp had never previously played each other.
That means Zverev will enter the quarterfinal with plenty of momentum—but without the familiarity of an established head-to-head rivalry.
Zverev's path has suddenly opened up
The German's side of the draw has also changed dramatically.
Several highly ranked players have already been eliminated, while other contenders have been forced into demanding matches.
The quarterfinal field includes Karen Khachanov, who fought back from two sets to one down to defeat American No. 14 seed Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4.
Belgian Alexander Blockx has also reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal after defeating Francisco Cerundolo.
That creates a fascinating late-stage US Open landscape, with Zverev now carrying the highest seed remaining on his side of the men's draw.
The bigger story: consistency after the breakthrough
For Zverev, the most significant development may not be the individual victory over Darderi.
It is the consistency.
After years of coming close at Grand Slam tournaments, the German has finally converted his potential into a major championship.
Now he has reached the quarterfinal stage at every Grand Slam in 2026.
The US Open presents another opportunity to prove that his Roland Garros breakthrough was not an isolated moment.
But the road is getting considerably tougher.
One more victory would send Zverev into the semifinals.
And standing in his way is a Dutchman who has already shown that he can survive five-set battles in New York.
The clock may have finally stopped working against Zverev—but the pressure is only getting higher.
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