Alexander Zverev has spent years knowing the frustration of coming close to a Grand Slam title without being able to finish the job. After finally ending that wait at the French Open this year, the German now has another major opportunity in front of him.This time, though, he is hoping to extend an even longer drought.Zverev reached the US Open final on Friday with a 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6) victory over Karen Khachanov, setting up a Sunday showdown against either No. 8 seed Ben Shelton or No. 11 Frances Tiafoe.Neither Shelton nor Tiafoe has previously reached a Grand Slam final, although both have made it to the US Open semifinals. The winner of their clash will be bidding to become the first American man to play for the title in New York.The United States is still waiting for its next men’s Grand Slam champion, with Andy Roddick’s US Open triumph in 2003 remaining the country’s most recent men’s major title.“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” Zverev said.
Zverev’s long wait finally ends
For much of his career, Zverev carried the unwanted tag of being the best men’s player without a Grand Slam title. That changed at the French Open this year when he finally claimed his first major.The 24-2 record he has compiled in Grand Slam matches this season underlines just how dramatically his fortunes have changed.After winning in Paris, Zverev went on to reach the Wimbledon final, where he was beaten by Jannik Sinner. He now has a chance to add another major title only months after breaking through for the first time.“Sometimes just things go your way and I feel like I’ve had a lot of struggles 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,” Zverev said.
2020 heartbreak still fresh
A US Open title would carry particular significance for Zverev because of what happened five years ago.In the 2020 final, he appeared to be on course for his maiden Grand Slam crown after taking the opening two sets against Dominic Thiem. But Thiem fought back and eventually prevailed in a fifth-set tiebreak.That victory made Thiem the first man since 1949 to win the US Open after losing the opening two sets.Zverev now has another chance to finish the job in New York.Against Khachanov, he made sure the match did not follow the same pattern. After taking the first two sets, he stayed composed and closed out the contest in straight sets. The victory also extended his run to 13 consecutive sets won.
Khachanov fights back but Zverev holds firm
Khachanov entered the semifinal as the No. 50-ranked player and was chasing an unexpected run to his first Grand Slam final.The Russian had arrived in New York with a losing record for the season but produced one of the tournament’s surprise campaigns to reach his third Grand Slam semifinal and his second at the US Open.He struggled initially against Zverev, losing the first set and then falling 2-0 behind in the second. But he gradually found his rhythm, broke Zverev’s serve to level the set and stayed with the top seed until the tiebreak.Khachanov saved Zverev’s first two set points, but the German eventually prevailed after winning a remarkable 34-shot rally.The third set again went to a tiebreak, and Khachanov looked well placed after moving 3-0 and then 5-2 ahead.Zverev, however, produced another comeback to deny him and seal his place in the final.
Rocky start before a run to the final
Zverev’s path to the championship match has been far from straightforward.He became the first No. 1-seeded man to play five-set matches in each of the opening two rounds of a major after being pushed the distance by Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys.Those two matches alone kept him on court for nearly 9 1/2 hours. Zverev admitted that his performances were poor enough for him and his team to laugh about them after his second-round match.“That kind of sense of humor, it helped me,” Zverev said.The German gradually turned things around as the tournament progressed.“Moving forward, I was playing much better tennis. Obviously I have improved a little bit. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in the U.S. Open final.”While Zverev and Khachanov battled for a place in the final, the other semifinal was expected to command much of the attention in New York.Shelton and Tiafoe, two of the biggest fan favourites in American men’s tennis, were due to meet on a day that also marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.Both players had already reached the US Open semifinals before, but neither had managed to go one step further at a Grand Slam.The winner would not only reach a maiden major final but also keep alive America’s hopes of ending its long wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion.Interestingly, the Zverev-Khachanov semifinal had attracted surprisingly low ticket prices compared with the Shelton-Tiafoe contest. Khachanov, ranked No. 50, was also attempting to become the lowest-ranked US Open finalist since the ATP rankings began in 1973.Zverev, however, made sure the Russian’s remarkable run ended one match short of the final.
