Alexander Zverev Reaches US Open Quarterfinals and Sets Rare Grand Slam Record

Playing under the lights at Flushing Meadows, the top-seeded German handled his business efficiently with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) victory, according to tournament reports and match coverage.

Dominant Service Performance Sets the Tone

Zverev opened the match by breaking Darderi in the very first game, establishing early control that he maintained throughout the afternoon and evening session. According to international reports from Agence France-Presse, the German player delivered one of his finest serving performances of the season, not surrendering a single service break to the 21st-seeded Italian.

While Darderi found some traction in the third set and entertained the crowd with unpredictable shot-making, Zverev avoided extended play. By closing out the tight third-set tiebreak 7-3, the top seed managed to finish the contest before midnight local time in New York, a welcome change of pace after several grueling late-night finishes earlier in the fortnight.

“No sé qué voy hacer ahora. Quizá vaya a una pista de entrenamiento, quizás a un bar… eso era una broma”, said Zverev after the match, referencing previous rounds that concluded past two o’clock in the morning.

A Unique Achievement Across Grand Slams

With this straight-sets win, Zverev reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows and carved out a unique spot for himself on the ATP Tour. According to tournament and sports wire data, Zverev completed a full sweep of quarterfinal appearances across all four Grand Slam tournaments this calendar year, standing alone as the only player on the men’s tour to accomplish the feat in 2026.

At 29 years and 132 days old, Zverev also joined elite company as one of the oldest players to reach the quarterfinals across all four major championships in a single season, following historical benchmarks previously set by players like David Ferrer in 2012 and Stan Wawrinka in 2015, as reported by Match Tenis.

Navigating a Shifting Draw

Zverev’s path to the quarterfinals opened up significantly over the tournament’s first week. While the German battled through demanding early rounds—including dropping sets against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys earlier in the tournament—several high-ranked competitors fell from his side of the bracket, including Felix Auger-Aliassime, Flavio Cobolli, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Miñaur.

His quarterfinal opponent will be the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, ranked number 70 in the ATP rankings, who advanced following a grueling five-hour battle against France’s Arthur Gea.

What Comes Next in New York

Zverev and Botic van de Zandschulp are scheduled to face each other in the US Open quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows, with the winner moving forward to a semifinal clash against either Belgium’s Alexander Blockx or Russia’s Karen Khachanov.