Zverev survives marathon battle as Eala storms into US Open second round

Alexander Zverev survived a dramatic five-set battle with Lorenzo Sonego to advance to the second round of the US Open, while Alexandra Eala continued her rapid rise with an emphatic victory at Flushing Meadows.

Zverev, the top men's seed in New York following the withdrawal of world number one Jannik Sinner, was pushed to the limit by the determined Italian before eventually prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4.

The French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist spent four hours and 53 minutes on court and was twice within two points of defeat during a tense encounter.

"I'm just happy I won, that's it," Zverev said afterwards.

He added that fighting through such a difficult contest could prove valuable as he attempts to reach a third consecutive Grand Slam final.

Zverev will now face Quentin Halys in the second round.

American players enjoyed a strong day on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Madison Keys, Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz all progressing.

Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, put aside the nerves that contributed to her first-round exit last year to defeat Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4.

"It's so hard to play the first round of a Grand Slam," Keys said. "So nervous and wanting to do well."

She will meet Hungary's Anna Bondar next.

Ninth seed Fritz produced one of the day's more straightforward wins, defeating fellow American teenager Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Fritz, who reached the US Open final in 2024, is among the leading American hopes of ending the country's long wait for a men's Grand Slam singles champion. Andy Roddick remains the last American man to win one, claiming the US Open title in 2003.

"It's super important for me," Fritz said of the goal.

Earlier, third seed Coco Gauff began her bid for a third Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Zeynep Sonmez.

Eala then thrilled the New York crowd with a commanding performance against qualifier Mary Stoiana. The Filipino teenager needed little more than an hour to complete a 6-1, 6-2 victory and book her place in the second round.

At Louis Armstrong Stadium, fifth seed Flavio Cobolli recovered from a slow start to defeat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Women's fifth seed Mirra Andreeva had a considerably easier passage, defeating Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.

The day's schedule was heavily disrupted by persistent rain, with lengthy delays leaving thousands of spectators in ponchos as they waited for outdoor-court action to resume.

American teenager Thea Frodin, who portrayed a young Serena Williams as a tennis double in the 2021 film King Richard, made her WTA-level Grand Slam debut against second seed Elena Rybakina.

Frodin earned plenty of support from the home crowd but could not produce an upset, with Rybakina recording a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory despite recent concerns about her fitness.

Lorenzo Musetti also advanced, defeating Britain's Arthur Fery 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. Fery had surprised the tennis world by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals.

Australian Alex de Minaur was scheduled to face Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri on Grandstand, but that match was among several cancelled after rain returned during the evening.

Organisers now face a crowded schedule, with 14 first-round matches still needing to be completed on Wednesday, including suspended contests.

Meanwhile, French veteran Gael Monfils marked his 40th birthday in style, defeating Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 to keep his farewell Grand Slam campaign alive.