Zverev vs Khachanov: A Second Slam at Stake in US Open Semi

The German's Extraordinary Year Rolls On at Flushing Meadows

When Alexander Zverev claimed the Roland Garros title in June, defeating Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final to end years of Grand Slam near-misses, the question was whether it would unlock something deeper in him. At the 2026 US Open, the answer looks increasingly like yes. A 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 dismantling of Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-finals sent Zverev into his fourth Grand Slam semi-final of the season — completing a full sweep of Slam last-fours in a single calendar year that places him in remarkably short company. His opponent on Friday is unseeded Karen Khachanov.

A Season That Demands to Be Noticed

Zverev's 2026 at the majors has been exceptional: semi-finals at the Australian Open, a title at Roland Garros, a semi-final at Wimbledon, and now the last four in New York. His Grand Slam record across the season stands at 18 wins from 20 matches. Three finals reached, one won. Those are statistics that belong to a player operating at an entirely different level to the rest of the field. Against Van de Zandschulp, Zverev offered a clean illustration of why: landing 70 percent of his first serves and winning 77 percent of those points, hitting eight aces, and giving the Dutchman almost nothing to construct the long rallies he needed to compete. The 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 scoreline did not flatter him.

Khachanov Advances as Blockx Retires

The unseeded Karen Khachanov reaches the semi-finals after Belgian debutant Alexander Blockx — the feel-good story of the draw, whose run had generated enormous excitement — was forced to retire in the third set trailing 3-2, with Khachanov already leading two sets to love at 6-2, 7-5. The Arthur Ashe crowd sent Blockx off with an ovation that reflected how warmly his tournament had been received; his contribution to this US Open will not be forgotten quickly.

For Khachanov, the semi-final is a return to familiar territory. He reached this stage at the US Open in 2022, where he lost to Casper Ruud, and he carries that Slam semi-final experience into Friday's match as an unseeded player with nothing to lose and a game — built around a heavy serve and direct, punishing groundstrokes — that can trouble anyone on a good day.

Head-to-Head, Pressure and the Road to the Final

Zverev holds a 6-3 career advantage over Khachanov and is the clear favourite, but Khachanov's explosive style means any match between these two can shift quickly. The key factor will be whether Zverev's return game — one of the most effective on the ATP Tour — can neutralise the Russian's serve early and force the baseline exchanges that the German controls more comfortably over a full match.

Wildcard Zheng becomes first Chinese champion in Beijing, beats Andreeva

The winner steps into a Sunday final against either Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe, guaranteeing a partisan American crowd against whichever European advances. Zverev won his first Grand Slam title in Paris in June under enormous expectation. This is a different kind of pressure — playing against the crowd rather than with it. He showed in Roland Garros that high-stakes moments do not break him. A second Slam title in a single season remains within reach.