On a lively Thursday night at Flushing Meadows, British up-and-comer Jacob Fearnley faced the full force of Grand Slam tennis—both on the court and in the stands—falling to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, in the second round of the 2025 US Open. For Fearnley, just 24 and making his main draw debut at this storied tournament, it was a baptism by fire under the bright lights of Louis Armstrong Stadium, a venue notorious for its constant hum of crowd noise and electric atmosphere.
The match, played on August 28, 2025, was a showcase of Zverev’s experience and Fearnley’s fighting spirit. Zverev, the tournament’s third seed and 2020 US Open finalist, asserted his dominance early, breaking Fearnley’s serve in the opening game and setting the tone for what would become a night of hard lessons for the Brit. Yet, as the sets wore on, Fearnley refused to go quietly, saving five match points in a dramatic late surge that drew applause from both the crowd and his opponent.
“Credit to him,” Zverev said in his on-court interview, acknowledging Fearnley’s resilience. “He started playing unbelievable tennis. There wasn’t much I did wrong but he played some fantastic points. He made it interesting in the end, but I’m happy to be through.”
For Fearnley, the evening was a whirlwind—both exhilarating and challenging. Ranked 60th in the world after a meteoric rise that saw him break into the top 50 this June, the former US college standout has only been a professional for a little over a year. His journey has been rapid, and Thursday night was another step in a steep learning curve. “I hadn’t played on a court with that much noise before—it caught me by surprise,” Fearnley admitted after the match. “I wasn’t angry, I just didn’t expect it. Now I know and I can deal with it. Alex didn’t look that stressed about it. It’s not a problem, it creates a cool atmosphere. I just have to get used to it because tennis is usually played in silence—but there it is always constant background noise.”
The crowd’s energy ebbed and flowed throughout the contest, but it reached a fever pitch during the final games of the third set. With Zverev racing ahead 5-1, Fearnley cut loose, unleashing a series of explosive groundstrokes and even pulling off a leaping backhand down the line that had the German nodding in appreciation. “The shots that I was hitting, it was definitely getting the crowd going, which was a really cool experience,” Fearnley reflected. “I’m not really one for getting the crowd too involved, but that was fun. I’ll definitely remember those few games.”
Yet, for all his flair, Fearnley’s inexperience showed in key moments. He tallied 12 double faults, a serving issue that has plagued him recently—he hit 18 in his first-round win over Roberto Bautista Agut. “It’s an issue and there are some quite obvious holes in my game, but I’m able to compete even when I’m not serving very well,” he said. “It’s definitely something I want to fix—I’m just giving points away. In practice I can make 100 second serves in a row, but it is something about seeing the lights, seeing the court, and having Alex at the other side of the net, which makes it so tricky. With that noise, that crowd, it is sometimes difficult. I will figure it out eventually.”
Adding to his woes, Fearnley required treatment for a shoulder injury in the first set, describing a “pop” he felt and taking painkillers to continue. “It will still be a concern for Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, who already seems certain to be without his number one player Jack Draper for next month’s play-off against Poland,” noted one report. Draper, the British number one, withdrew from the US Open prior to the tournament due to an arm injury, leaving Fearnley as one of the country’s last hopes in the men’s singles draw.
Despite the adversity, Fearnley’s progress over the past 15 months has been nothing short of remarkable. Little more than a year ago, he was ranked outside the world’s top 500. His rapid rise has seen him take on some of the game’s biggest names on iconic stages—including three meetings with Zverev in 2025 alone, all ending in defeat but each providing valuable experience. “Overall I played a bit better [than Melbourne], I had some lapses in concentration but I felt pretty comfortable out there,” Fearnley said, referencing his earlier straight-sets loss to Zverev at the Australian Open. “I’m happy with the way I played and competed, mentally I thought I was good. I can take a lot from it.”
The match statistics painted a clear picture of Zverev’s superiority. The German fired nine aces to Fearnley’s four and forced 46 unforced errors from the Brit, who struggled to find rhythm under pressure. Zverev’s tactical edge was evident as he secured early breaks in both the first and second sets, never allowing Fearnley to settle. Yet, what might have been a routine win for the third seed turned into a memorable tussle as Fearnley, trailing two sets and down 5-1 in the third, saved five match points across three thrilling games before Zverev finally closed it out on his sixth opportunity.
The German’s victory marked his 30th time advancing to the third round of a Grand Slam and his seventh consecutive trip to the US Open’s third round, a testament to his consistency at the highest level. “I think my level has been good. It’s been decent. Of course, I know that opponents will get extremely difficult the further I get, and a lot of things will change, but I’m happy where my level is after two matches,” Zverev said in his post-match press conference. Up next for him is Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, a player Zverev described as “somebody who, when he plays well, he plays really well. When he doesn’t play well, he really doesn’t play well. He’s in the third round. That means he’s playing well. It’s a difficult match.”
For Fearnley, the defeat was another lesson in the school of hard knocks that is Grand Slam tennis, but also a sign that he belongs on this stage. His ability to fight back under pressure, thrill the crowd, and reflect honestly on his shortcomings bodes well for his future. With Cameron Norrie now the sole British representative left in the men’s singles, all eyes will turn to his clash with Novak Djokovic in the third round.
As the US Open rolls on, Fearnley’s New York debut may have ended in defeat, but his spirited performance against one of the world’s best has certainly put him on the map. The experience—noisy crowd, high stakes, and all—will serve him well as he continues his rapid ascent in the tennis world.
