New Delhi, September 12: Alexander Zverev booked his spot in the US Open final after overcoming Karen Khachanov in a hard-fought semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The German prevailed 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6) in a contest lasting nearly three hours, holding his nerve through two closely fought tie-breaks.
The victory takes Zverev into his sixth Grand Slam final and his second at the US Open. It also caps an impressive run at the majors this season, with the 29-year-old having already won the French Open and finished runner-up at Wimbledon in 2026. He will meet either Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe in Sunday's championship match.
Zverev's road to the final has been anything but straightforward. He was pushed to the brink in the opening round before surviving,
while his second-round encounter also went the distance. Since those early tests, however, the top seed has found another level, progressing without dropping a set against Alejandro Tabilo, Luciano Darderi and Botic van de Zandschulp before producing another composed display against the World No. 50.
The German established control in the opening set by breaking Khachanov at 4-3 before serving out for a 6-3 lead. The second set proved considerably tighter, with neither player able to create separation and the contest heading into a tie-break.
Khachanov appeared to have the advantage after moving 5-3 ahead in the breaker, but Zverev responded with four of the next six points to take it 9-7. A gruelling 34-shot exchange on set point underlined the intensity of the battle and gave Zverev a commanding two-set advantage.
The third set followed a similar pattern, with Khachanov refusing to surrender and forcing another tie-break. Zverev found himself facing two set points at 4-6, but once again produced his best tennis under pressure. He reeled off four consecutive points to seal the match 8-6 and book his place in the final.
The result further underlines Zverev's remarkable consistency at Grand Slam tournaments this year. He now owns a 24-2 record at the majors in 2026 and has moved level with Jannik Sinner at the top of the ATP Live Race To Turin, with both players on 7,950 points.
Zverev has also entered an elite group by becoming only the 12th man since 1978 to reach Grand Slam finals on three different surfaces in the same calendar year.
His run represents a remarkable turnaround after years of near misses at the majors. Zverev had lost his first three Grand Slam finals, including a straight-sets defeat to Sinner in last year's Australian Open title clash. His breakthrough finally arrived at Roland Garros this year, where he claimed his maiden major crown.
After reaching another final at Wimbledon, Zverev is now one victory away from adding a second Grand Slam trophy to his collection and ending his 2026 major campaign on an even higher note.
