US Open: Alexander Zverev to Face Alejandro Tabilo in Third-Round Test

A marathon start weighs on the favorite

Alexander Zverev, the tournament's top seed, has reached the third round the hard way, needing five sets to get past both Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys, according to The Grandstand. In total he has spent 9 hours and 26 minutes on court so far — more than any other player left in the draw. That workload has not cost him a match yet, but observers warn fatigue could become a factor, if not in this round then later in the tournament.

The opponent: an in-form Chilean

His next opponent is 25th seed Alejandro Tabilo of Chile, who reached the third round more comfortably, beating Yannick Hanfmann and Alexei Popyrin in four sets each. This will be their third career meeting, with Zverev having won both previous ones: the 2024 Rome semifinal (1-6, 7-6(4), 6-2) and last year's US Open first round (6-2, 7-6(4), 6-4).

Predictions diverge

Forecasts on the outcome differ. The Grandstand predicts a Zverev win in four sets, suggesting fatigue could actually push him to play more aggressively and shorten points. Last Word On Sports panelist Ateet also picks Zverev in four, pointing to the German's strong record against left-handed players. However, his colleague Zain believes an upset is possible and predicts Tabilo in five sets, arguing the Chilean has recently shown he can trouble almost anyone from the baseline.

Wider context

The same round of the tournament also features other notable matches, including Jakub Mensik against Learner Tien and Flavio Cobolli against Alexander Blockx, as well as Zizou Bergs taking on Botic van de Zandschulp, who stunned sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the previous round. Still, Saturday night's main focus is the Zverev-Tabilo clash, which could prove a turning point for the top seed's tournament.