Alexander Zverev Advances to US Open Final with Dominant Win
Alexander Zverev marched into a third consecutive Grand Slam final with a ruthless, three-set dismantling of Karen Khachanov at the US Open – and tightened his grip on a season that is fast becoming the best of his career.
The top seed, already a French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up this year, beat the Russian 6-3 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (8-6) in a performance that mixed authority with resilience under pressure.
Zverev the man to beat in New York
With Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz hampered by injuries this season, the draw in New York has opened up. Zverev has stormed through it. The German, 29, now stands one win away from a second major title of the year and a second US Open crown, four years after the heartbreak of his five-set collapse to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 final.
This time he arrives as the clear favourite.
He will face either eighth seed Ben Shelton or 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s final, with the two Americans due to light up the night session in a semi-final built for the New York crowd.
"I think it [Sunday] will be incredibly special especially, these two guys are crowd favourites and everyone loves them," Zverev said on court. "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."
The line drew a knowing roar from the stands. Zverev is no longer chasing the big names; he is the one everyone else is trying to stop.
From 3am doubts to Grand Slam dominance
His run in New York has not been flawless. Far from it. He was dragged into five sets in each of his opening two matches, flirting with an early exit before finally finding his range.
"After the second round, at about 3am I was sitting with my team in the locker room and we were laughing at how bad I was playing," he admitted. "That sense of humour helped me. I obviously have improved a bit otherwise I would not be in the US Open final."
The numbers back him up. Since those early scares, he has not dropped a set. His game has tightened, his serve has become a weapon again, and his movement – often a barometer of his confidence – has looked sharp and assured.
He has now reached all four Grand Slam semi-finals this season, a level of consistency that has long been demanded of him. In New York, he has finally delivered it.
A fast start, then the grind
Against world number 50 Khachanov, Zverev took immediate control. The first set was clinical. He won 13 of 15 points behind his first serve and all nine points at the net, stepping forward with conviction and breaking to lead 5-3 before serving it out with minimal fuss.
Khachanov, though, is too seasoned to fold. The Russian reset, started to punch holes with his heavy groundstrokes and dragged Zverev into longer, more physical rallies in the second set.
Zverev broke early again, but Khachanov hit back, refusing to let the match slip away. The set moved inexorably towards a tie-break, where the quality spiked.
Khachanov saved a set point with a stunning backhand to finish off a 22-shot rally, a point that drew gasps from the crowd and briefly swung the momentum his way. For the first time, Zverev looked under genuine strain.
The response was telling. On a pivotal point in the breaker, Zverev stepped up, took the initiative and forced another set point, outlasting Khachanov in a draining baseline exchange capped by some superb defence. This time he converted. Two sets up, the scoreboard finally reflected his control.
Tie-break tension, champion’s composure
The third set became a serving duel. Both men held with authority, neither facing a single break point. The rallies shortened, the tension did not. Another tie-break loomed, and with it Khachanov’s last chance to drag the contest into deeper waters.
The Russian struck first. He settled quicker, opened up a lead and carved out two set points. The match hung there, briefly, on the edge of a fourth set.
Zverev slammed the door.
He saved both set points with bold, front-foot tennis, refusing to retreat behind the baseline. From that moment, he did not look back. The top seed tightened his grip, surged through the closing points, and sealed victory when Khachanov pushed a forehand long.
Arms spread wide, Zverev turned to his coaching team in celebration before heading to the net for a firm handshake with his opponent. It was his sixth Grand Slam final confirmed, another step in a season that is starting to redefine his career.
Four years ago in this stadium, Zverev left with a broken heart and a sense of what might have been. On Sunday, with a second US Open title on the line and a home favourite likely waiting across the net, he returns not as a nearly man but as the one holding all the cards.
