Alexander Zverev secured his place in the US Open semifinals by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, and 6-1 at Flushing Meadows. The German will face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the final four, marking his third consecutive appearance in the New York semi-finals.
At 29, Zverev stands as the sole reigning Grand Slam champion remaining in the men’s draw. This milestone coincides with a historic achievement for his country, as his 23 tournament wins in 2026 surpassed Boris Becker’s long-standing German record of 22 set in 1989.
Zverev acknowledged a sluggish start to the tournament but highlighted his ability to recover over five-set matches. “In other tournaments I would be out in the first round, but here I can fight back,” he said. “I’ve started playing better throughout the tournament and I’m definitely happy to be in the semifinals here.”
Early in the match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Zverev struggled with his serving, committing five double faults. However, the top seed capitalized on van de Zandschulp’s forehand errors to break serve in the fifth game and close out the opening set. The Dutch player regrouped in the second set, but Zverev held firm under pressure and won three consecutive games to take control.
The third set saw Zverev break early with an overhead smash and cruise to victory. He will now prepare for a rematch against Khachanov, with whom he contested the gold medal match at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus, Zverev noted, “I don’t take it for granted at all. I know it can change in a heartbeat in tennis… confidence is something that is incredibly important but also can go away quite quickly.”
Breaking Becker’s record is impressive, but will he actually win the semis? Khachanov loves pressure matches.
Finally someone holding onto a major title! Zverev looks focused after that sloppy start against Van de Zandschulp.