Van de Zandschulp completes historic 5-hour-13-minute comeback at US Open 2026

At the Grandstand, when the clock hit 5 hours and 13 minutes, Botic van de Zandschulp turned a seemingly finished match into an improbable comeback. The Dutchman defeated France's Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4 in the fourth round of US Open 2026. The victory is not just another result. It is the longest match of this year's tournament and the fourth-longest in US Open history since 2026. Only six matches have crossed the five-hour mark in that period, and this one is part of that exclusive group. Gea started superbly, winning the first two sets and taking a match point in the third-set tie-break. Van de Zandschulp saved it, capitalised on the opponent's backhand volley error, and then won another tie-break in the fourth set before closing out the decider 6-4. This is the Dutchman's second US Open quarter-final appearance after his first in 2026. The match also stands as a reminder of the physical and mental toll caused by five-hour battles in modern tennis. Against a young and rising opponent, Van de Zandschulp relied on experience, patience and his ability to survive key moments. The Frenchman played above expectations but could not convert his match point. When that moment slipped away, the match turned. With only about 48 hours of recovery before the quarter-final, the Dutchman will face a challenge that cannot be solved by analytics alone. His body has endured nearly five and a half hours of high-intensity tennis. Yet the victory proves that persistence is still one of the strongest weapons in Grand Slam tennis. For Vietnamese tennis fans, this match is a valuable lesson: professional sport is not only about power or brilliant shots. Long five-set battles require endurance, tactical calmness and the ability to compete under sustained pressure.