Seeds of Disappointment: When Champions Falter The US Open has seen its share of dramatic upsets, but few would have predicted Alexander Zverev's narrow escape against Lorenzo Sonego in their first round match.
While tennis fans may breathe a collective sigh of relief that the top seeded German emerged victorious, the fact remains that one of the sport's most dominant players was pushed to the limit by an unheralded opponent.
This close call is part of a broader pattern of elite athletes struggling with expectations and pressure.