Alexander Zverev’s Marathon Files: His 5 Longest Grand Slam Battles

Alexander Zverev has built a career around long Grand Slam battles, but few have tested his physical and mental limits quite like his latest U.S. Open escape against Lorenzo Sonego.

The German needed four hours and 52 minutes to beat Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4 in the first round at Flushing Meadows, surviving after coming within two points of defeat in the fourth set. It was another marathon to add to a growing list for a player who has repeatedly found himself deep into five-set contests.

"Nearly five hours for a first round, I think this is the longest first-round match I've ever played in my life," Zverev said.

"So, credit to him. He played amazing tennis today, would have beaten a lot of players for sure, but I'm happy to be through."

The victory was particularly important for Zverev after he admitted he had struggled in his previous two tournaments.

"Actually I'm happy that I won this kind of battle because this exactly the match that I needed," he said.

"I struggled the last two tournaments, I didn't play well and sometimes good things happen after you fight through one of these matches. So I'm hoping that will be the case for me at this tournament."

The Sonego battle, however, is not the longest match Zverev has played. That distinction belongs to an extraordinary Australian Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz earlier this year.

5 hours, 27 minutes: Carlos Alcaraz, 2026 Australian Open

Zverev's longest recorded match came against Alcaraz in the 2026 Australian Open semi-final.

The Spaniard eventually prevailed 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 after five hours and 27 minutes, with the contest ranking among the longest matches in Australian Open history.

It was a brutal contest in which Zverev recovered from two sets down and pushed Alcaraz all the way to the deciding set.

The German had opportunities to finish the match, but Alcaraz produced one final surge to reach the Australian Open final.

For Zverev, the defeat was particularly painful because of how close he came to winning. He had already endured more than five hours of tennis when the match slipped away.

The contest also underlined the physical demands of playing Alcaraz at a Grand Slam. Zverev was pushed through repeated long rallies and extended service games before finally running out of answers.

4 hours, 52 minutes: Lorenzo Sonego, 2026 US Open

Zverev's latest marathon is now the second-longest match of his career.

Against Sonego, the world No. 1 seed repeatedly struggled to convert his opportunities. He finished just 5-for-22 on break points and was unable to close out the Italian despite having chances throughout the contest.

Sonego won the third-set tiebreak and then moved within two points of victory at 5-4 in the fourth.

Zverev eventually broke back, forced a deciding set and secured the crucial break for a 3-2 lead before holding his nerve to finish the match.

The victory also prevented Zverev from becoming the first men's top seed to lose in the opening round of a Grand Slam since 2003.

For Zverev, though, the significance went beyond avoiding an upset.

"This exactly the match that I needed," he said, describing the five-set battle as the kind of test that could potentially change the direction of his tournament.

4 hours, 41 minutes: Jannik Sinner, 2023 US Open

Before the two 2026 marathons, Zverev's longest Grand Slam match had come against Jannik Sinner at the 2023 US Open.

Zverev won 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 after four hours and 41 minutes in a contest that stretched deep into the night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

It was one of the defining victories of Zverev's comeback from the serious ankle injury he suffered at the 2022 French Open.

The match demanded enormous physical reserves from both players, with Zverev eventually finding another level in the deciding set.

His ability to survive against Sinner was particularly significant given the Italian's rise into one of the sport's dominant players.

4 hours, 19 minutes: Carlos Alcaraz, 2024 French Open final

Alcaraz also features in another of Zverev's longest matches, this time in a Grand Slam final.

The Spaniard defeated Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 after four hours and 19 minutes at Roland-Garros.

Zverev had moved to within a set of his first Grand Slam title after taking a 2-1 lead, but Alcaraz gradually turned the contest around.

It was another example of the German's ability to stay in physically demanding matches without necessarily being able to close them out.

That pattern has been a recurring theme in his Grand Slam career.

4 hours, 16 minutes: Flavio Cobolli, 2026 French Open final

One of the most important matches on the list came only a few months ago.

Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli in five sets in the 2026 French Open final, finally winning his first Grand Slam title after years of near misses.

The victory was a significant turning point. Zverev had previously lost Grand Slam finals at the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open, as well as the 2025 Australian Open final.

This time, despite another four-hour-plus battle, he was the player left standing.

That context makes his latest victory over Sonego particularly interesting. Zverev is no longer simply trying to prove that he can survive Grand Slam marathons. He has now shown that he can endure them and finish the job.

Zverev's five longest Grand Slam matches

The list tells an important story about Zverev's career. His longest matches have overwhelmingly come on the biggest stages, often against players who themselves sit among the leading figures of the sport.

And while the five-hour battle with Alcaraz remains his most demanding, the Sonego victory may ultimately prove just as valuable.

Zverev entered New York as a Grand Slam champion and the tournament's No. 1 seed for the first time. He was pushed to the brink immediately, but he survived.

As he put it himself, sometimes the match a player needs is not the easiest one to win.

For Zverev, nearly five hours against Sonego may have been exactly that match.