Alexander Zverev: “To Be Honest, I Don’t Know What to Do With Myself Because It Is Before Midnight” — Top Seed Swiftly Handles Luciano Darderi to Reach US Open Quarterfinals
After racking up nearly 12 hours on court across his opening three matches, top seed Alexander Zverev traded midnight marathons for efficiency on Monday night. The World No. 2 dispatched 21st seed Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to punch his ticket to the 2026 US Open quarterfinals.
The reigning Roland Garros champion dominated the Italian in early action, wrapping up the opening two sets in rapid fashion. Having concluded his previous encounters in the early hours of the morning, Zverev celebrated his pre-midnight victory with a lighthearted jab at his own late-night reputation.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to do with myself because it is before midnight,’’ a smiling Zverev joked in his on-court interview. “I might go back to the practice court, I might go out to a bar, I don’t know yet… Unfortunately, that was a joke, so relax.’’
Heavy Serving and Consistency Neutralize Darderi
Zverev put on a serving clinic, landing 72 percent of his first serves and hammering 13 aces past the 24-year-old Italian. While the German rolled through the first two sets in under 80 minutes, Darderi mounted a spirited stand in the third, sparking a grueling 11-minute, 33-second 11th game to force a tiebreak.
Zverev reasserted his authority in the tiebreaker, closing out the win in two hours and 31 minutes without surrendering a single break of serve on the night.
“I felt my level was very consistent,’’ Zverev said. “It was just that he started playing incredibly well in the third set. I barely saw anyone hit the ball as hard as he did, consistently, as he did the entire set. So credit to him, he made it very difficult for me.’’
Reflecting on his favorite Flushing Meadows time slot, the 2020 finalist poked fun at center-court traditions.
“You know how players sometimes go around and they say, ‘This is my court,’ or whatever when they win a great point? This is not my court, at all,’’ Zverev grinned. “Roger Federer won here 78 times and Pete Sampras won here 112 times. But I feel like I rented this court out, like from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. for two weeks, so I hope they are going to continue putting me on at the same time.”
Completing a Career Grand Slam Sweep
With the victory, Zverev became the only man in 2026 to reach the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments—a career-first milestone for the 29-year-old. His landmark major campaign includes a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open, his maiden Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros, a runner-up finish at Wimbledon, and now a last-eight appearance in New York.
“I’m happy to be in the quarterfinals and happy to be playing this way,’’ Zverev noted. “Compared to the first two matches, the level has been going up and of course that is the goal and I’m happy about that.’’
Zverev advances to face unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, marking their first career meeting on the ATP Tour.
