Germany’s Alexander Zverev opened his US Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, winning 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Tuesday.
The world number three dominated the opening set but faced resistance in the second, where Tabilo held serve consistently and even earned a set point at 6-5. Zverev saved it with a service winner before taking control in the tiebreak. In the third set, the German secured the decisive break in the tenth game to close out the match.
“It wasn’t great at times, to be very honest, but I’m through. I won in straight sets—that’s the most important thing. There’s a lot to build, a lot to improve,” Zverev said afterward.
The Olympic champion will next meet Britain’s Jacob Fearnley, who defeated Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Zverev holds a 2-0 record in their head-to-head encounters.
After a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon, Zverev rebounded with semifinal runs at the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati. Still chasing his first Grand Slam crown, the German has twice finished runner-up—at Roland Garros 2024 and the 2025 Australian Open.
“It’s about going the final step. I love playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium—it’s one of the most beautiful arenas in the world. For me, it’s about winning the last point in those finals. I’m very hopeful I can do that this year,” he said.
