I want more: Alexander Zverev targets US Open glory after Roland Garros win

Alexander Zverev has carried the confidence of his maiden Grand Slam triumph at Roland Garros into the US Open, where he survived a gruelling five-set battle against Lorenzo Sonego.Alexander Zverev is looking to win his maiden US Open title. Courtesy: ReutersAlexander Zverev has finally climbed the mountain he had spent years trying to conquer. After winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2026, the German has no intention of stopping there. Now, he wants more.The World No.2 has carried that ambition into New York, where he began his US Open campaign with a hard-fought five-set victory over Lorenzo Sonego. Zverev survived a near-five-hour battle to beat the Italian 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-5, 6-4 and keep his bid for a second Grand Slam title alive.“Yeah, there was definitely some weight on my shoulders, for sure, especially at the age that I’m at. You never know if it’s ever going to happen,” Zverev told JioHotstar.“So, I was very happy to have finally lifted my first Grand Slam trophy, but now, once you do it, you want more. You want to keep going, you want to continue playing good tennis, and hopefully be a contender for the next one as well.” That first major finally arrived at Roland Garros in June, when Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in a dramatic final. The victory ended years of frustration for the German, who had previously lost three Grand Slam finals, including the 2020 US Open final.“I think it was just the result of the work that I’ve done over the years. A lot of times, I came up just short,” Zverev said. “That’s what maybe made the difference in the end against Flavio in the fifth set. I was feeling really ready to win, which was a different kind of feeling compared to the other finals. Of course, I’m happy that it happened, but we’re in New York now, and I want to try and do it again.”ZVEREV’S FIRST MAJOR CHANGED EVERYTHING Alexander Zverev won the French Open in June. Courtesy: Reuters For years, Zverev had been caught in the frustrating space between being good enough to challenge for Grand Slam titles and actually winning one. He reached the 2020 US Open final and also made the finals of the 2024 French Open and 2025 Australian Open, but each time he fell short.That made his breakthrough in Paris particularly significant. Zverev became a Grand Slam champion at the fourth time of asking in a major final, overcoming Cobolli in five sets and finally removing the biggest question mark hanging over his career.The victory also gave him something that statistics and rankings could not: the belief that he could close out the biggest matches.“I feel like I’m finding my rhythm, I feel like I’m finding my game again, which is a very nice feeling. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead, and hopefully I can be at my best again,” Zverev said.FROM ROLAND GARROS GLORY TO US OPEN DREAM Zverev finished as the runners-up in US Open 2020. Courtesy: Reuters New York, however, immediately reminded Zverev that another Grand Slam title will have to be earned the hard way.Against Sonego, he took the opening set but surrendered the next two, including a third-set tie-break. In the fourth, he was just two points away from defeat before producing the fight required to turn the contest around. He eventually forced a deciding set and completed the comeback 6-4.It was hardly a smooth start for the top seed, but perhaps that is exactly what Zverev needed. After early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati had raised questions about his form, surviving such a demanding opening match could provide valuable momentum.“I feel like I have done it after the French Open, and then I haven’t done it the last two tournaments,” Zverev admitted before the tournament. “But I definitely feel like my game has been coming back.”His next opponent is France’s Quentin Halys. The target, however, remains much bigger than simply reaching the third round.Zverev has already waited long enough for his first Grand Slam. Now he knows what winning one feels like. And after Paris, the German has made his ambition clear: he wants more.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 21:55 IST