In a thrilling US Open 2026 showdown, Arthur Gea of France fell just short of making history as the first lucky loser to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final. The 22-year-old was a mere point away from victory but ultimately succumbed to Botic van de Zandschulp in a marathon match that lasted over five hours.

Gea initially took the lead, winning the first two sets with scores of 3-6, 6-7 (0-7). However, he faced a turning point in the third-set tie-break, where he missed a crucial match point. Van de Zandschulp seized the opportunity, rallying back to win 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, marking one of the longest matches in US Open history at five hours and 13 minutes.

Despite his loss, Gea's journey to the fourth round was remarkable. He entered the tournament as a lucky loser after Casper Ruud withdrew due to injury. Gea overcame competitors including Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Michael Zheng to reach this stage, ultimately earning $480,000 in prize money, a significant boost from the $66,000 he expected from qualifying.

Van de Zandschulp now advances to face Alexander Zverev, who breezed past Luciano Darderi with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). Zverev, known for his late-night matches, humorously noted his surprise at finishing before midnight.

In other matches, Alexander Blockx fought through injury to reach his first major quarter-final, defeating Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. He will face Karen Khachanov, who edged out Learner Tien in a five-set thriller.

As the tournament progresses, both Gea's near miss and the resilience of players like Blockx highlight the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis.