US Open Day 7 Men’s Recap: Sinner Survives, Zverev Falls, Bublik Wins Thriller

Day 7 of the US Open men’s draw had everything: a defending champion pushed, a major upset, a five-set classic, and three unfortunate retirements. Jannik Sinner overcame a stern test from Denis Shapovalov, while Felix Auger-Aliassime took down Alexander Zverev. Alexander Bublik edged Tommy Paul in a dramatic five-set battle, and Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, and Andrey Rublev also advanced. But the day was marred by three mid-match retirements, with Flavio Cobolli, Daniel Altmaier, and Kamil Majchrzak all unable to finish.

Who Looked Good

Jannik Sinner showed his resilience in a four-set win over Denis Shapovalov. The World No. 1 was unsettled early but grew stronger as the match wore on, raising his first-serve percentage and controlling rallies with his backhand. He came through 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-3, displaying the composure expected of a defending champion.

Felix Auger-Aliassime earned one of his best Slam wins in years, stunning Alexander Zverev 4-6 7-6 6-4 6-4. After dropping the first set, the Canadian served impeccably and struck his forehand with authority, showing flashes of the form that once took him to the semifinals in New York.

Lorenzo Musetti was in command before compatriot Flavio Cobolli retired at 6-3 6-2 2-0. Musetti’s creativity and variety kept him firmly in charge throughout.

Alex de Minaur advanced when Daniel Altmaier retired during the fourth set. The Australian’s tireless retrieving and tempo had already forced errors, and he moves into the next round with energy conserved.

Who Looked Bad

Alexander Zverev had a match to forget after starting strong against Auger-Aliassime. The German looked flat after losing the second set tiebreak and too often allowed the Canadian to dictate with his forehand.

Denis Shapovalov shone in patches but could not maintain his aggressive brilliance. After taking the first set, his first serve deserted him and the errors piled up, leaving Sinner in control.

Flavio Cobolli, Daniel Altmaier, and Kamil Majchrzak all exited due to injury retirements. Cobolli trailed Musetti by two sets and a break, Altmaier was down against de Minaur when he pulled the plug, and Majchrzak retired early in the first set of his match. Three withdrawals in a single day cast an unfortunate shadow over the round.

Match of the Day

Alexander Bublik vs Tommy Paul was the undisputed highlight of Day 7. In a rollercoaster encounter lasting just under four hours, Bublik edged the American in five sets, 7-6 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-1. Both men traded blows from the baseline and lit up the night session with spectacular shot-making, but it was Bublik who held firm in the decider.

The Kazakh’s serve-and-volley play, mixed with his unpredictability, kept Paul guessing, and when the pressure mounted in the fifth, Bublik surged ahead. Breaking twice early, he raced to a commanding lead and never looked back, closing out one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament so far.