I assigned this issue to me as the maintainer of the zipfile module. This means that I undertake to examine the results of benchmarking, make the review of the proposed patch, and merge it if it improves the performance and doesn't have negative side effects. This shouldn't stop you from writing your patch.

Actually there was a reason why the code is written in that way. But maybe that reason no longer actual or there are stronger arguments for other ways. It is hard to say until I reproduce benchmarking results.