Full Breakdown
Arthur Gea’s US Open Run Ends in Marathon Fourth-Round Defeat
9/8/2026, 12:13:49 PM
US Open Fourth-Round Marathon
World number 87 Arthur Gea, a French lucky-loser entrant, fell just short of becoming the first lucky loser to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final. After saving a match point in a third-set tie-break, he could not serve out the fourth set and ultimately lost to Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp 3-6, 6-7 (0-7), 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. The five-hour-13-minute contest ranks as the fourth-longest match ever played at Flushing Meadows.
Path to the Main Draw
Gea entered the tournament through qualifying because his ranking was insufficient for direct acceptance. Seeded first in qualifying, he fell to American Nishesh Basavareddy in the final round but gained entry after 2022 finalist Casper Ruud withdrew on the eve of the event. In the main draw, Gea defeated Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, American Zachary Svajda, and fellow American Michael Zheng to reach the round of 16.
Match Details and Statistics
The encounter with van de Zandschulp featured three tie-breaks and a decisive fifth set. Van de Zandschulp described his comeback as “crazy,” noting he had “no clue” how he turned the match around. Gea became the 13th lucky loser eliminated in a Slam’s fourth round.
Financial Impact
Despite the loss, Gea will collect $480,000 in prize money, a substantial increase from the $66,000 he would have earned had he exited in qualifying. The payout reflects the tournament’s prize structure for reaching the round of 16.
