Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts to defeating Jannik Sinner of Italy in five sets during their Men's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Eight of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 04, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Photo: AFP
German 12th seed Zverev outlasted Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in a gruelling 4hr 41min match which finished at 1.39am local time Tuesday on a muggy night in New York.
Zverev claimed his second win over the sixth-seeded Italian in three years at Flushing Meadows and advanced to a third quarter-final here after the longest US Open match of his career.
"I guess I can say I'm back. This is what I live for, this is what I absolutely love to do," Zverev said in an on-court interview.
"Last year when I wasn't able to play this is exactly the kind of moments I missed."
Zverev, the 2020 US Open runner-up, missed last year's tournament after suffering a horror ankle injury at Roland Garros.
"I actually don't know how I managed that. I was completely done in the fourth set. I was extremely tired. In the fifth set I somehow found it again," said Zverev.
"This is one of the best moments of my career, after my comeback and everything. I'm looking forward to what comes next."
The 26-year-old Zverev has a 3-2 record against world number one Alcaraz, winning their only Grand Slam meeting in the 2022 French Open quarter-finals, and is regaining his best form.
"I'm here to play. That's what I love doing. I don't know how it'll end up but I'll give it my absolute best like I always do," he said.
"I'll fight till the last moment. I'll be ready."
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