Alexander Zverev moved closer to securing his second Grand Slam title after a dominant 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open. The win propels the 29-year-old French Open champion into the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, where he is scheduled to face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in a rematch of their 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold medal match.
Reflecting on his progression through the tournament, Zverev admitted his performance was not at its peak during the opening rounds. “I think you saw in the first two rounds, I really didn’t play well,” he noted. The German explained that the best-of-five format at majors provides him with a unique opportunity to fight back, adding, “In other tournaments I would be out in the first round, but here I can fight back and play best of five sets, play four-and-a-half hours. I’ve started playing better throughout the tournament, and I’m definitely happy to be in the semifinals here.”
Despite his success, Zverev remains cautious about the volatility of the sport. “I don’t take it for granted at all,” he said, acknowledging that momentum can shift rapidly. “I know it can change in a heartbeat in tennis. I think confidence is something that is incredibly important but also can go away quite quickly.”
The match at Arthur Ashe Stadium saw an erratic start for Zverev, who struggled with his serve and committed five double faults early on. However, he capitalized on a series of forehand errors from Van de Zandschulp to break in the fifth game and claim the first set. Although the second set was more competitive, Zverev successfully absorbed the pressure, winning three consecutive games to seize control. He eventually cruised through the third set after a decisive overhead smash gave him an early break.
With this victory, Zverev has now reached the semifinals at all four major tournaments this year and stands as the only remaining Grand Slam winner in the men’s draw. Additionally, his 23 Grand Slam match wins in 2026 allowed him to surpass the previous German men’s record of 22, set by Boris Becker in 1989. Having previously finished as the runner-up in 2020, Zverev is now aiming to secure his third career semifinal appearance in New York. The report also notes that the 29-year-old French Open champion got off to a slow start in his campaign at Flushing Meadows but has steadily found his range to enter the last four on Wednesday.
Comments