NEW YORK, Aug 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Alexander Zverev cruised into the third round of the US Open on Thursday with a straight-sets win over Britain's Jacob Fearnley.

Three-time Grand Slam runner-up Zverev eased past world number 60 Fearnley 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to book a date with Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Russia's Roman Safiullin.

Only Carlos Alcaraz has more than Zverev's 45 match wins on the men's circuit this season.

Third seed Zverev has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of his last four trips to New York, where he finished runner-up in 2020.

Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have scooped the last seven Grand Slams together but Zverev is hoping to muscle in on their territory and claim an elusive first major.

"I'm here to spoil the party. I'm going to try to do that," said Zverev, who lost last year's French Open final to Alcaraz and came second to Sinner in Melbourne in January.