Alexander Zverev secured his spot in the US Open semifinals for the third time in his career, achieving a decisive 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 win over Botic van de Zandschulp on Wednesday.
The German top seed took just over two hours to defeat the Dutch player, continuing his remarkable season that includes his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
Crucial Moments in the Match
Zverev showcased his skill during critical moments in the second set, where van de Zandschulp attempted a comeback. At 3-2, the Dutchman had his first break point, but Zverev maintained his composure, winning a challenging 33-shot rally to fend off the threat. Later, while leading 5-4, van de Zandschulp had a set point on Zverev’s serve, but a forehand error ended that opportunity. Zverev seized the moment, broke serve, and secured the set 7-5.
A Season of Records
The third set saw Zverev dominate, finishing with a 6-1 scoreline and marking his 13th Grand Slam semifinal appearance. This season, he has achieved 51 match wins on the ATP Tour, the highest on tour. Additionally, his 23 Grand Slam match victories this year set a new record for a German male player in a single season, surpassing Boris Becker’s previous record of 22 from 1989.
As per ATP records, Zverev is now among the nine different men’s players in the Open Era to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single season. His journey began with a semifinal at the Australian Open, followed by his victory at Roland Garros against Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final. He then reached the Wimbledon final, where he was defeated by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Upcoming Semifinal Matchup
In the semifinals, Zverev will face Karen Khachanov, holding a 6-3 advantage in their head-to-head record. He previously defeated Khachanov in the gold-medal match at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The 25-time tour-level champion aims to advance further in New York after reaching the US Open final in 2020, where he narrowly lost to Dominic Thiem.
Van de Zandschulp’s impressive run concluded in the quarterfinals, marking his second appearance at this stage in Flushing Meadows, having also reached the last eight as a qualifier in 2021. He advanced to the quarterfinals after two consecutive five-set victories, including a remarkable comeback from two sets down against Arthur Gea, where he saved a match point.
Other Semifinal Matches
The other men’s singles semifinal will feature an all-American matchup between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. Shelton secured his place in the semifinals by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, while Tiafoe triumphed over Alex Michelsen.
Both semifinal matches are set to take place on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.