- Alexander Zverev continued his impressive US Open run with a commanding 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp to reach the semi-finals.
- The German top seed admitted he stayed awake until around 3:30 am watching Ben Shelton defeat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz before returning to the court less than 24 hours later.
- Zverev has now reached the semi-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same season for the first time in his career, underlining his consistency after finally winning his maiden major at Roland Garros earlier this year.
- The 29-year-old will face Karen Khachanov in the last four after the Russian advanced when Alexander Blockx retired with an injury.
September 10, (THEWILL) – Alexander Zverev arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium carrying more than the pressure of being the US Open’s top seed.
He had also sacrificed much of his sleep to watch one of the tournament’s biggest matches.
Zverev stayed up until around 3:30 am to watch Ben Shelton defeat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller that became the latest finish in US Open history. Rather than allowing the late night to affect him, the German returned to court and dismantled Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1.
“I watched Shelton-Alcaraz until 3.30 am last night”, Zverev said.
“I did not go to bed; I was up late. I was watching TV because I was sleeping in until 1 pm anyway.”
It was another late finish in a tournament that has already demanded plenty from the German.
From Early Struggles to Another Major Semi-Final
Zverev’s route to the last four has not been as straightforward as his latest scoreline suggests.
The top seed was pushed into five sets in each of his opening two matches against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys, leaving him with considerably more court time than he would have wanted at the beginning of a Grand Slam.
He then began to find greater control.
Zverev defeated Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets before overcoming Luciano Darderi in four, and he produced another clinical performance against van de Zandschulp to reach the semi-finals. His last three matches have all been straight-set victories.
The transformation has been particularly important given what is at stake.
After winning his first Grand Slam title at the French Open and reaching the Wimbledon final, Zverev is now the only man to have reached the semi-finals at all four majors in 2026.
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Zverev Makes German Tennis History
The victory over van de Zandschulp also pushed Zverev further into the record books.
He has now won 23 singles matches at Grand Slam tournaments this season, surpassing Boris Becker’s previous German men’s record of 22 major victories in a single year, set in 1989.
For a player who spent much of his career being judged by his failure to win a Grand Slam, the change in 2026 has been striking.
Zverev finally broke through at Roland Garros, then followed that achievement by reaching another Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. He is now two victories away from adding a second major title to his collection.
Khachanov Awaits in the Semi-Finals
Zverev’s next opponent will be Karen Khachanov, who advanced after Alexander Blockx was forced to retire while trailing 6-2, 7-5, 3-2.
Khachanov, ranked 50th in the world and unseeded at the tournament, has reached his first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2023 Australian Open.
The Russian brings plenty of experience and has already shown that he can trouble higher-ranked opponents, but Zverev enters the contest as the clear favourite after his recent run of form.
Interestingly, the semi-final will also reunite two players who met in the Tokyo Olympics final, where Zverev won the gold medal.
Khachanov knows the scale of the challenge ahead.
“He’s been in the top five for so many years,” he said. “This year he did also step forward. He won his first Grand Slam and played the final in Wimbledon, as well. He’s coming up really in hot form.”
Zverev, however, is taking nothing for granted. He jokingly referred to Khachanov as “The Professor” because of his detailed knowledge of tennis and ability to understand the technical side of the game.
Another Final Is Now Within Reach
Zverev’s 2026 season has already transformed his Grand Slam reputation.
The French Open champion is now a Wimbledon finalist and a US Open semi-finalist, while his Australian Open campaign also ended in the last four.
For the first time, reaching the business end of every major in a single season has become reality.
Now comes another opportunity.
Beat Khachanov and Zverev will return to the US Open final for the second time in his career, having previously finished runner-up in New York in 2020.
After surviving five-set battles, late nights and the pressure that comes with being the tournament’s top seed, the German is now just two wins away from turning an already remarkable season into an even bigger piece of tennis history.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
