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Top seed Alexander Zverev completed a career-first sweep of Grand Slam quarter-final appearances in a season after defeating Luciano Darderi in straight sets at the US Open on Monday (local time), setting up a last-eight clash with Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Zverev, the 2026 Roland Garros champion, defeated 21st seed Darderi 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 majors this year, according to the ATP website. The German produced a strong serving display, landing 72 per cent of his first serves and winning 86 per cent of points behind his first delivery. 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, who had previously stunned Zverev in Rome this year after saving four match points, was unable to repeat that comeback as the top seed sealed the contest in the tie-break. The victory also gave Zverev his 50th tour-level win of the season and took him into the US Open quarter-finals for the fifth time. Zverev's quarter-final opponent van de Zandschulp produced one of the tournament's biggest comebacks, recovering from two sets down and saving a match point to beat Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4. The Dutchman battled for five hours and 13 minutes to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the second time in his career. He had also made the last eight as a qualifier in 2021. Gea had a match point on serve at 6/5 in the third-set tie-break, but van de Zandschulp survived before forcing a deciding set. The Frenchman then served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth, only for the Dutchman to break and eventually level the contest. Van de Zandschulp, ranked 70th in the world, completed the comeback after another marathon performance, having already spent four hours and 29 minutes on court in his third-round win over Zizou Bergs. The Dutchman will now face Zverev on Wednesday in their first ATP head-to-head meeting. The winner of the Zverev-van de Zandschulp clash will move into the US Open semi-finals, with Zverev chasing a second Grand Slam title and his first at Flushing Meadows. (ANI)
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