New York: Top seed Alexander Zverev reached the US Open quarter-finals for the fifth time after defeating Italy’s 21st seed Luciano Darderi in straight sets, completing a career-first sweep of Grand Slam last-eight appearances in a season.
The 2026 Roland Garros champion prevailed 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) in two hours and 31 minutes to become the only man to reach the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments this year.
Zverev produced a dominant serving display, landing 72 per cent of his first serves and winning 86 per cent of points behind them. He saved the only break point he faced in the opening set and maintained control despite Darderi raising his level in the third.
The Italian had previously stunned Zverev in Rome this year after saving four match points, but was unable to repeat that comeback as the German sealed the contest in the tie-break. The victory also marked Zverev’s 50th tour-level win of the season.
Zverev will face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, who completed one of the tournament’s biggest comebacks by recovering from two sets down and saving a match point to beat France’s Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4.
The 70th-ranked van de Zandschulp battled for five hours and 13 minutes to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the second time, having also made the last eight as a qualifier in 2021.
Gea held a match point on serve at 6/5 in the third-set tie-break, but the Dutchman survived before forcing a deciding set. Gea then served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth, only for van de Zandschulp to break and level the contest.
The Dutchman, who had already spent four hours and 29 minutes on court in his third-round win over Zizou Bergs, will meet Zverev on Wednesday in their first ATP head-to-head encounter.
The winner will advance to the semi-finals, with Zverev bidding for a second Grand Slam title and his first US Open crown.
