Alex Zverev powered his way into the 3rd round of this year’s US Open, seeing off a plucky Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up barely had to get out of first gear, hitting 24 winners in a workmanlike showing.
2025 ATP Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
US Open Tennis
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York City (Outdoor Hardcourts)
Selected 3rd Round Matches- 30th August
Alex Zverev (3) 0.29 vs Felix Auger-Aliassime (25) 2.55
With 45 wins this season, Zverev trails only Alcaraz in terms of total wins. He started the year with yet more Grand Slam heartbreak, crumbling against Sinner in the Aussie Open final. He plodded along after that, clearly dejected after that Melbourne defeat. He reserved his best tennis for his home country, winning minor titles in Munich and Stuttgart. He reached the French Open quarters and prepared for these championships with back-to-back semifinal runs in Toronto and Cincy. So, Zverev is clearly trending well for a big fortnight. He has been one of the most consistent players in New York for some time, reaching the quarterfinal stage or better in each of his last four appearances (he finished runner-up in 2020).
This has been a roller-coaster campaign for talented Canadian Felix Auguer-Aliassime. He has enjoyed some significant highs, winning titles in Adelaide and Montpelier. He also reached the final in Dubai to go with two more semifinals. But he has consistently disappointed in the elite events, failing to go beyond the 2nd round of a slam while underwhelming in the Masters events. But he did find some joy on the eve of this event, reaching the Cincy quarterfinals before getting thoroughly pasted by Jannik Sinner (no shame in that). And he has carried that Cincy form into Flushing Meadows, not dropping a set en route to this year’s 3rd round. He had to fend off some stubborn resistance from Romain Safiullin, ultimately advancing 6-1, 7-6, 7-6. He was solid on serve, firing 14 aces and winning 79% of his first-serve points. He was reliable from the back of the court, striking 44 winners to 35 unforced errors to advance to the 3rd round for the first time since reaching the semifinals back 2021.
The Verdict: Zverev to win in five at 4.4- Zverev leads the head-to-head 6-2, winning their most recent meeting in straight sets at last year’s Miami Open. Auger-Aliassime does hold the Grand Slam advantage, winning their lone slam encounter in five sets at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. I have a feeling this could be a tough challenge for Zverev. Auger-Aliassime is serving well and his forehand appears to be operating at peak efficiency.
Alex de Minaur (8) vs Daniel Altmaier
Industrious Aussie Alex de Minaur had some early struggles in his 2nd round clash with Shintaro Mochizuki, fending off eleven break points in his first three service games before taking complete control of proceedings to win 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. The Aussie just outmaneuvered the Japanese player, using his psychotic athleticism to elicit 50 unforced errors for Mochizuki’s racquet. He is yet to drop a set this week and has now reached the 3rd round (or better) in each of his last four US Open appearance’s. A quarterfinalist here in 2020 and last season, the Aussie seems tailormade for the physical demands of this tournament. But does he possess the weaponry to make a concerted push for this title? I feel like his recent Washington victory was certainly a step in the right direction. He played with slightly more aggression and played with real authority.
26-year-old German Daniel Altmaier has been the ironman of this year’s championships, surviving a first-round epic against Medjedovic only to prevail in another five-set tussle against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The German needed to dig deep against the woefully out of form Greek, trailing by a set and a break in the 4th. But he remained fearless and would get the win, serve-and-volleying 14 times in the final set. Overall, the German hit 49 winners to 43 unforced errors against the beleaguered Greek. Altmaier, twice a 4th-rounder at the French Open, had never gone beyond the first round at any other slam in his previous eleven attempts. He is breaking new ground this fortnight and will be freerolling from this point on.
The Verdict: De Minaur to win in straight sets at – De Minaur leads the head-to-head 1-0, comfortably beating the German at this year’s Rotterdam Open. This is going to be a nightmare tie for Altmaier: De Minaur is the last person in the world that you want to face after two gruelling five-set marathons. He will retrieve every lost cause and will suffocate the life out of Altmaier.
