NEW YORK – Alexander Zverev has shed the label of the “best player without a major,” but as he prepares for Sunday’s U.S. Open final, he has his sights set on a new mission: prolonging the longest American men’s Grand Slam drought in history.
Zverev secured his spot in the championship match on Friday, dispatching Karen Khachanov with a clinical 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6) victory in the semifinals. The German, who claimed his maiden major title at the French Open earlier this year, is now just one win away from capturing the crown that has eluded him since his heartbreaking collapse in the 2020 final against Dominic Thiem.
“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” Zverev said following his win.
His opponent will be determined later Friday, when Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe square off in an all-domestic showdown. The host nation has been searching for a male Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick hoisted the trophy in New York in 2003. While both Shelton and Tiafoe are fan favorites who have tasted semifinal success before, neither has managed to cross the threshold into a major final. Zverev intends to keep it that way.
Zverev’s path to the final has been a testament to his newfound mental fortitude. After struggling through grueling five-set marathons in his first two rounds—spending nearly nine and a half hours on court—the No. 1 seed has found his rhythm, winning 13 consecutive sets.
Against Khachanov, the world No. 1 displayed the resilience that defines his current season, which boasts an impressive 24-2 record in Grand Slam play. Though Khachanov mounted significant resistance—forcing tiebreakers in both the second and third sets and even holding leads of 3-0 and 5-2 in the final breaker—Zverev refused to blink. The German punctuated the second-set tiebreaker with a spectacular 34-shot rally, a point that underscored his composure under pressure.
“Sometimes things just go your way,” Zverev reflected on his breakthrough year. “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.”
For Zverev, Sunday represents a chance at redemption on the very surface where he once let a two-set lead slip away four years ago. For the American hopefuls waiting in the wings, it is a chance to end two decades of frustration. As the tournament reaches its climax, Zverev stands as a formidable roadblock, eager to cement his status as the game’s dominant force while keeping the home crowd’s long-standing wait for a champion alive.
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