Alexander Zverev takes on Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the 2026 US Open on September 5. While Zverev, the top seed in the tournament, is favored to defeat the Chilean star (No. 25), he’s coming off yet another marathon match at Flushing Meadows.
In the opening round, Zverev defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-5, 6-4 in a four-hour and 53-minute showdown. His match against Quentin Halys in the second round turned out to be another all-nighter.
Zverev ultimately needed five sets to defeat Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a match that lasted over four-and-a-half hours. Fans in the crowd, like Zverev’s girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla, waited until 2:15 a.m. for the match to conclude.
“Well, it’s great until you almost lose every single time!” Zverev told the crowd of being the No. 1 seed at the US Open. “No, it’s special but I’ve said it before, it doesn’t matter who or what seeding you are, it matters who is at the end of the draw. And I’m crawling towards that. I’m still in it. I’m still there, and hopefully I can give you another great show in two days’ time.”
Alexander Zverev’s Girlfriend Sophia Thomalla Is Promoting Her Reality Show During the US Open
While Thomalla keeps a low profile at the tournament while Zverev is competing, she’s also promoting her show. Thomalla is the host of Germany’s “Are You the One?” She rocks a neon orange minidress in her latest Instagram post.
“Dressed for the challenge, obviously 💅❤️,” she captioned the picture.
The comments section filled with heart and fire emojis. One fan noted, “It doesn’t look like New York in the background what’s up.” However, these are shots from when the show filmed a few months ago. Thomalla posted several photos with Zverev in New York City during fan week, and she’s expected to be at Arthur Ashe Stadium for his third-round match on Saturday night.
Thomalla and Zverev celebrated their 5th anniversary on the tennis star’s 29th birthday in April. They share two dogs, Mischka and Buba. Zverev has a daughter, Mayla, from his previous relationship with Brenda Patea.
Alexander Zverev Can Make Tennis History If He Defeats Alejandro Tabilo
After nine hours and 26 minutes on the court, Zverev could break a new record with a win over Tabilo on September 5. As it stands, he’s already “the first top seed in Grand Slam history to play two five-set matches in his opening two rounds,” the ATP Tour reported.
The longest route to the fourth round in a Grand Slam is held by Jack Draper, who spent 12 hours and 34 minutes making his way through the 2025 Australian Open. However, the record for a top seed to reach the fourth round is held by Novak Djokovic, who took nine hours and 40 minutes during the 2024 Australian Open.
To crack Djokovic’s record, Zverev only needs 16 minutes to defeat Tabilo.
Alexander Zverev’s Girlfriend Turns Heads in Neon Dress Amid US Open