ALEXANDER ZVEREV ADVANCED TO THE US OPEN FINAL ON FRIDAY WITH A 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6) WIN OVER KAREN KHACHANOV IN THE FIRST SEMIFINAL IN NEW YORK, SEALING THE RESULT IN TWO HOURS AND 56 MINUTES. THE TOP SEED IS INTO HIS SIXTH MAJOR FINAL AND HIS SECOND AT FLUSHING MEADOWS, RETURNING TO THE TITLE MATCH AFTER HIS RUNNER-UP FINISH IN 2020.
Zverev’s Journey to the Final
Zverev steadied himself after a rocky opening week in which he was two points from defeat in the first round and needed five sets in the second. Since then, he has not lost a set, rolling past Alejandro Tabilo, Luciano Darderi, Botic van de Zandschulp, and now Khachanov. The World No. 2 took the opening set with a late break and held firm in tiebreaks, showcasing his resilience and skill.
He clawed back from 3/5 in a 14-minute second-set breaker and from 4/6 in the third-set decider, saving two set points to finish the job. This impressive performance lifted him level with Jannik Sinner atop the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin at 7,950 points and made him the 12th man since 1978 to reach major finals on clay, grass, and hard courts in the same season. According to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, he is 24-2 at the Grand Slams this year.
The 29-year-old has reshaped his season since January, capturing his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and then reaching the Wimbledon final. He will face Ben Shelton for the US Open trophy on Sunday, aiming for a second major crown just four months after his breakthrough in Paris.
Khachanov, competing in his third major semifinal, pushed Zverev with aggressive shot-making and rose in the PIF ATP Live Rankings to No. 26 with his run in New York. The match drew a star-studded crowd, including Brazilian football great Ronaldo, who had earlier watched countryman and junior World No. 1 Luis Guto Miguel reach the boys’ singles final. Zverev’s performance not only cements his status among the elite players in tennis but also sets the stage for an exciting final on Sunday.