Alexander Zverev, seeded number one at a major for the first time in his career, nearly became the first top seed to exit in the first round of a Grand Slam since 2003. In his match against Lorenzo Sonego, the German came back from two sets to one down and saved himself on the brink of defeat, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4 in almost five hours.
Sonego, ranked 89th in the world, led twice in the score and had two match points in the fourth set at 5-4. Zverev, who had already won the French Open this season, looked tired and nervous, but managed to turn the match around. The Italian played aggressively and tenaciously, forcing the favorite to expend energy on every rally.
For Zverev, this match was the longest first-round match of his career. He admitted that Sonego could have beaten many tennis players and thanked his opponent for a worthy fight. The victory preserved the German's chances for the title but showed how vulnerable even the top-ranked player can be at the start of a tournament.
The situation resembles a chess game where one wrong move in the opening can cost the entire game: Zverev started confidently but lost control of the pace and nearly lost. Only experience and willpower allowed him to regain the advantage at crucial moments.
Now Zverev faces the task of recovering physically and psychologically before the next round. Such a match in the first round is a serious warning: even for the French Open champion, the path to another title will be long and exhausting.
