Alexander Zverev has secured his spot in the US Open semi-finals following a decisive win against Botic van de Zandschulp. The top-seeded player achieved a 6-2 7-5 6-1 victory during the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Zverev’s progression to the semi-finals marks a significant achievement, as he has now reached all four Grand Slam semi-finals in a single season for the first time in his career. This follows his maiden major title win at this year’s French Open.
Zverev’s tournament journey and upcoming challenge
The German player’s path through the tournament has included some extended matches. His initial three matches concluded late, at 1:55am, 2:15am, and 1:09am, respectively. In the early rounds, Zverev was taken to five sets in his first two matches, spending approximately nine and a half hours on court during his first four matches.
Despite these challenges, Zverev has demonstrated resilience. He noted that in other tournaments, he might have been eliminated in the first round, but the best-of-five-sets format allowed him to fight back and improve his play as the tournament progressed. He made quicker work of Alejandro Tabilo and Luciano Darderi in subsequent rounds, finding his rhythm after a stumble in the early stages.
Zverev is now considered a favourite to win the title, particularly after the exit of Carlos Alcaraz. He will next face Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals. Khachanov advanced after Alexander Blockx retired from their match while trailing 6-2 7-5 3-2.
Khachanov’s path and Blockx’s injury
Karen Khachanov, a former world number eight, secured his place in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time since the Australian Open in 2023. His ranking had dipped to 50, making him unseeded at a major for the first time since 2018.
Khachanov’s opponent in the quarter-finals, Alexander Blockx, was forced to retire due to a series of injuries. Blockx, who was playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final, received medical treatment for a blister on his foot before experiencing issues with his back. He described feeling that his body “just gave up” and that the pain was escalating, affecting his ability to land without discomfort in his back and ribs.
Blockx had previously faced injury concerns in his fourth-round win against Francisco Cerundolo, where he nearly retired due to a rib injury. Khachanov extended his wishes for a “speedy recovery” to Blockx after their match.
Zverev’s late-night viewing and match preparation
Following his victory over van de Zandschulp, Zverev revealed he had stayed awake until late to watch the quarter-final match between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz. This match concluded at 03:34 local time, marking the latest finish in the tournament’s history.
Zverev mentioned watching the match until 3:30am, stating he did not go to bed immediately because he planned to sleep until 1pm anyway. He will need to be cautious against Khachanov, whom he referred to as ‘The Professor’ due to his extensive knowledge of tennis, including details like string tensions and opponents’ strategies.
Zverev has won 23 singles matches at majors in 2026, surpassing Boris Becker’s 22 in 1989, making it the most by a German man in a single season. Khachanov acknowledged Zverev’s strong form, noting his Grand Slam win and final appearance at Wimbledon this year.
Zverev conceded 80 games in this year’s tournament, the second most for a top seed reaching the semi-finals, trailing only Rafael Nadal, who lost 85 games in 2018.
Source: bbc.com
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