Zverev overcomes Khachanov in tight tiebreaks

Alexander Zverev reached the US Open final for the second time in his career, beating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) in a semifinal that was decided by two tension-filled tiebreaks. The top seed made a strong start, breaking Khachanov early to take the opening set, but the Russian fought back in the second, forcing a tiebreak. Zverev saved set points before edging it 9-7. The third set followed a similar pattern, with Khachanov taking leads of 3-0 and 5-2 in the tiebreak before Zverev rallied to win 8-6. The match took just under three hours, according to Yardbarker.

Khachanov, ranked No. 50 and unseeded, was trying to reach his first major final after a surprising run in New York. He arrived with a losing record for the season but reached his third Grand Slam semifinal, including his second at the US Open, as reported by several outlets including ABC Australia and The Globe and Mail. The Russian broke Zverev's run of 37 consecutive service games without being broken and erased Zverev's first two set points in the second-set tiebreak before Zverev won a 34-shot rally to seal the set, as reported by WDIV ClickOnDetroit and NBC Sports.

Zverev extends form after early struggles

Zverev has now won four consecutive matches without dropping a set, after being pushed to five sets in each of his opening two rounds against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys. He spent nearly 9 1/2 hours on court in those first two matches, as reported by multiple outlets including SFGATE and the Chicago Tribune. The win over Khachanov was his fourth straight-set victory of the tournament and his 13th consecutive set, according to The Canberra Times.

Zverev, who turned 29, had been considered the best men's player without a Grand Slam title for years. That changed at the French Open in June, when he won his first major. He then reached the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Jannik Sinner. His record in Grand Slam matches this season stands at 24-2, as reported by the BBC and The Times of India.

Reflecting on his slow start to the tournament, Zverev told reporters that after his second-round match, which ended at about 3am, he and his team were "laughing our a** off how bad I was playing." He added, "That sense of humour helped me. I obviously have improved a bit otherwise I would not be in the US Open final." This quote was reported by Reuters and picked up by multiple outlets.

A chance to extend America's drought

Zverev will face either No. 8 seed Ben Shelton or No. 11 Frances Tiafoe, who meet later Friday for the right to become the American man playing for the title. Both have been semifinalists at Flushing Meadows but neither has reached a major final, as reported by ABC Australia and several other outlets. The United States is still seeking its first men's Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick won in New York in 2003.

"Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday," Zverev said in his post-match on-court interview, according to multiple sources.

Zverev acknowledged the challenge of playing an American in a sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I think it's going to be a fantastic feeling playing, you know, a final in a sold-out Arthur Ashe and not in an empty one," he said, as reported by Reuters. "For me, a loud and energetic crowd is always great, as long as they're fair."

Redemption for 2020 disappointment

The 2020 US Open final remains a painful memory for Zverev. He led Dominic Thiem two sets to love but lost in a fifth-set tiebreaker, becoming the first man since 1949 to lose the U.S. Open final after winning the first two sets, as reported by NBC Sports and The Globe and Mail. That tournament was played without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Zverev's loss unfolded inside an eerily empty Ashe.

"I was inexperienced. I was still a young guy. Everything is different," Zverev said, comparing his mindset then to now, according to Reuters. He noted that in 2020 he was two points away from winning, but that he didn't play well the entire tournament. "That never changed, funny enough, and I made it to the final," he said.

Now, with a Grand Slam title already secured this year, Zverev says he is a different player. "Sometimes just things go your way," he said. "And I feel like I've had a lot of struggle at the major level. I was so close so many times and maybe this year God has said that this is going to be your year and just enjoy the time on the court."