Alexander Zverev Advances to Third Consecutive Grand Slam Final
Alexander Zverev marched into a third consecutive Grand Slam final with a cold, ruthless performance under the New York lights, beating Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (8-6) to keep his charge for a second major of the season firmly on track.
The top seed, already the French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up this year, arrived in New York as the man to beat. On this evidence, that status looks entirely justified.
A champion’s rhythm
Zverev, 29, has discovered a level of consistency that has eluded most of his peers this season. With Jannik Sinner and defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz both hampered by injuries, the German has quietly taken command of the Grand Slam landscape, reaching the semi-finals at all four majors in 2024 and now his sixth major final overall.
His fortnight in New York did not start like this. He was dragged into five sets in each of his opening two rounds, grinding late into the night and, by his own admission, struggling.
“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 said on court. “That sense of humour helped me. I obviously have improved a bit otherwise I would not be in the US Open final.”
Since then he has not dropped a set. The early turbulence has given way to a smooth, relentless rhythm.
Statement start
Against world number 50 Khachanov, Zverev imposed himself immediately. The first set was clinical bordering on brutal.
He won 13 of 15 points behind his first serve, dominated at the net by taking all nine points there, and broke the Russian to lead 5-3. The set was gone in a flash as he served it out with minimal fuss, the pattern of the contest already forming: Zverev dictating, Khachanov reacting.
The Russian, though, is not built to fold. He dug in, dragged rallies into long, physical exchanges, and tried to drag Zverev into the trenches.
Tie-break tension
The second set swung early towards Zverev when he broke for a 2-1 lead, only for Khachanov to claw his way back, refusing to let the match become a procession. The Russian’s resistance grew, his groundstrokes started to bite, and Zverev’s smooth progress stalled just enough to create tension.
The set exploded into life in the tie-break. Zverev earned a set point, only for Khachanov to erase it with a magnificent backhand to end a 22-shot rally, one of the best exchanges of the night.
That moment could have turned the match. Instead, Zverev seized it.
On a pivotal point, he stepped in, took control of the rally and forced Khachanov back, his defence from the baseline rock-solid. When the chance came, he pounced, creating another set point and this time converting. Two sets up, the world’s form player had the scoreboard exactly where he wanted it.
Khachanov’s last stand
The third set became a serving duel. Neither player faced a break point. Khachanov, sensing the cliff edge, tightened his game and struck freely, while Zverev stayed locked into his patterns, refusing to offer a way back.
The tie-break arrived again, and this time it was Khachanov who surged first. He settled quickly, jumped ahead, and earned two set points. The match finally seemed to be tilting.
Zverev shut the door.
He saved both set points with bold, aggressive play, not with caution. Once he wrestled control back, he did not loosen his grip. From there, the top seed surged, flipping the breaker on its head. On match point, Khachanov’s forehand drifted long, the final act of a contest in which he had pushed but never quite pierced Zverev’s armour.
Zverev turned to his box, arms spread wide, a release more of satisfaction than shock. Another final, another step in a season that is starting to look like a career-defining one.
New York, unfinished business
This is Zverev’s second US Open final, four years after the most painful defeat of his career. In 2020 he led Dominic Thiem by two sets and served for the title, only to see the trophy slip away in a fifth-set tie-break. That scar has lingered over every return to Flushing Meadows.
Now he has a chance to rewrite that chapter.
On Sunday he will face either eighth seed Ben Shelton or 11th seed Frances Tiafoe, with the two Americans meeting in a night-session semi-final that promises a feverish atmosphere.
“I think it will be incredibly special, especially, these two guys are crowd favourites and everyone loves them,” Zverev said. “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.”
He has already conquered Paris and come within one match at Wimbledon. New York, the scene of that first heartbreak, now offers him something else: the chance to close the loop on a story that has been building for four long years.
