Zverev Outlasts Khachanov to Reach US Open Final

Alexander Zverev beat Karen Khachanov in three tight sets to reach his third straight major final, where an all-American semifinal awaits him.

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6) in three hours on Friday to reach the US Open final, his sixth Grand Slam final and second at Flushing Meadows. Zverev broke early in the first set and dominated behind serve, but Khachanov forced tie-breaks in both the second and third sets. In the third breaker, Khachanov led 5-2, yet Zverev won six of the final seven points to close it out when Khachanov put a forehand long.

The margin was razor thin — The Detroit News reports just three total points separated the players, 107 to 104, with Zverev holding a 15-6 edge in aces — yet the top seed never let the match slip. His composure in the big points contrasted with a messy start to the tournament: he admitted he and his team were 'laughing at how bad I was playing' at 3am after the second round.

BBC Sport reports Zverev saved two set points in the third-set tie-break and converted the pivotal second-set breaker after outlasting Khachanov in a draining defensive rally. He saved both set points he faced, per BBC, after Khachanov had settled quickest into that third tie-break. Rediff adds that Zverev now boasts a 24-2 record in Grand Slam matches this season and has not dropped a set since being pushed to five sets in each of his opening two rounds in New York.

No American man has won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open, a 23-year drought, and Tennis Majors notes no Black American man has won a major since Arthur Ashe in 1968 — history Tiafoe and Shelton were both playing to change. For Zverev, a second major is within reach just months after his long-awaited first at Roland-Garros, following a runner-up finish to Sinner at Wimbledon. He also carries the memory of the 2020 US Open final, where he led Dominic Thiem two sets to none and lost in five.

The all-American semifinal was underway at press time, with eighth-seeded Ben Shelton and 11th-seeded Frances Tiafoe on serve at 4-4 in the first set. The Athletic's live blog reported Tiafoe had yet to face a break point, while Shelton ripped a 140 mph ace after clocking 148 mph against Alcaraz in his previous match. Tiafoe, unusually for a baseline player, deployed drop shots to drag Shelton forward, and Arthur Ashe Stadium sat eerily quiet during points as the crowd stayed locked in.

Sunday's final will send either Zverev or an American champion in a very different direction. The Detroit News reports Zverev is a combined 14-1 against Tiafoe (9-1) and Shelton (5-0), his lone loss coming to Tiafoe in 2017 at Cincinnati. Zverev, for his part, is embracing the hostile New York crowd: 'Tonight will be an epic semi-final and I am looking forward to watching it. Hopefully I can not make their American dream come true.'