US Open: Arthur Gea loses five-hour battle to Botic van de Zandschulp despite match point

Arthur Gea came within one point of a place in tennis history, then watched the opportunity disappear after more than five hours on court. The 21-year-old French lucky loser led Botic van de Zandschulp by two sets and held match point in the third-set tiebreak, but the Dutchman turned the match around to win 3-6, 6-7 (0-7), 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Gea entered the main draw only after a withdrawal, having lost in the third qualifying round. Ranked 87th, he was the last French player remaining at the US Open. A victory would have made him the first lucky loser since the start of the Open era in 1968 to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal.

The match changed in the third set. Gea led 4-1 in the tiebreak and earned match point, but a risky move to the net proved costly. Van de Zandschulp won the next three points and reduced the deficit to two sets to one. He then controlled the fourth-set tiebreak before taking charge late in the deciding set.

The Dutchman broke after a marathon game to lead 4-3. Gea had a chance to break back when van de Zandschulp served for the match, but a final forehand error, his 28th of the contest, ended the Frenchman's run at the tournament.

Van de Zandschulp, ranked 70th and formerly as high as 22nd, will face Germany's Alexander Zverev or Italy's Luciano Darderi in the quarterfinals. He had previously reached the US Open quarterfinals in 2021 and defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the second round three years later.