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<\/p>\nFearnley – who returns to the United States having undergone a rapid growth in the game while at college in Texas – claimed the 7-5 6-2 5-7 6-4 victory in three hours and 26 minutes, avoiding adding his name to a list of four fallen Brits on day three at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old looks to close out something of a breakthrough 2025 campaign, which kicked off with a notable victory over Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open, on a positive note.<\/p>\n
He was sturdy in his early ventures against the 37-year-old Bautista Agut. He saved a set point in a momentary scare and went on to claim the first break of the match to avoid a tie-breaker.<\/p>\n
The second set was altogether more convincing for the Brit as he remained rock-solid on serve, and gained a decisive double-break advantage to emphatically move within a set of victory.<\/p>\n
But in the third, the serve with which he had looked so comfortable began to falter.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Highlights: Alcaraz opens US Open account with win over Opelka, Muchova defeats Williams<\/p>\n
Video credit: TNT Sports<\/p>\n
That was even after he gained an immediate break advantage. His experienced counterpart responded with three breaks of his own, helped by a generous supply of double faults as Fearnley admitted to nerves at getting the match over the line.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s definitely nerves,” he said. “Obviously you\u2019re going to double fault, you\u2019re never not going to double fault, but 18, that\u2019s too much. <\/p>\n
If you look at when the double faults are happening, it\u2019s when I\u2019m serving for the match, serving to stay in the set. It\u2019s at the highest tension moments.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s helpful to know that even hitting all those double faults I can still win the match. That\u2019s a positive. There\u2019s good days, there\u2019s bad days. In recent big matches, the double faults have been a little bit of an issue.”<\/p>\n
He added: “Even though I\u2019ve had some pretty big match experience, it\u2019s still all relatively new for me and being in these kind of moments and these matches, it still gives me a lot of nerves.<\/p>\n
“Maybe more than it necessarily should. I\u2019m sounding like I\u2019m a nervous wreck, I\u2019m not, I\u2019m fine. Just sometimes in those big moments, I need to be a little bit more clear and that will come with experience. It\u2019s not something I\u2019m worried about.”<\/p>\n
Bautista Agut had all the momentum, and when he gained an immediate break advantage in the fourth set, there was some plausible concern for the Brit – but he avoided a capitulation with an astute response, hitting immediate back-to-back breaks to once again take control of the tie.<\/p>\n
This time, Fearnley saw it through, and did not even give as much away as a break point for the remainder.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019m pretty tired right now,” said Fearnley. “I don\u2019t really know what to make of it. Obviously to get over the line is really good. I was playing great first two sets and then got a little bit nervous and Roberto makes you earn it. When you\u2019re nervous, that\u2019s going to have its effect.”<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Zverev powers past Fearnley to end Brit’s run – Australian Open highlights<\/p>\n
Video credit: TNT Sports<\/p>\n
In sealing the win, Fearnley avoided joining Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, Fran Jones and Billy Harris in suffering first-round exits on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Fearnley will face Zverev in the second round, after the German came through in straight sets against Alejandro Tabilo. <\/p>\n
After a difficult Wimbledon first-round exit, Zverev laid bare his mental struggles, saying he felt “lonely” and lacked joy “in everything I do” – but appeared to have his on-court mojo back on Arthur Ashe Stadium with a dominant display.<\/p>\n
The world No. 3 did not drop a single break in the two hours and nine minutes on court, as he progressed with a 6-2 7-6(4) 6-4 win.<\/p>\n
Their second-round meeting offers Fearnley the opportunity to avenge the straight-set defeats he suffered to Zverev in the third round of the Australian Open in January and two months later in Miami.<\/p>\n