Zverev reaches final in straight sets

Alexander Zverev advanced to the US Open final with a 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) victory over Karen Khachanov in a match lasting three hours. Khachanov, who entered the tournament ranked 50th in the world, held two set points at 6-4 in a tiebreak but failed to convert them. After requiring five sets and more than four and a half hours in each of his first two rounds, Zverev has won four consecutive matches in straight sets, stringing together 13 consecutive sets won.

Following the match, Zverev reflected on his turnaround after the early rounds of the tournament.

“After the second round, I sat in the locker room with my team around 3 a.m. We laughed our heads off about how poorly I had played. That humor helped me on the practice court the next day. I have obviously improved, otherwise I would not be in the US Open final.”

Shelton wins all-American clash

Ben Shelton secured the second spot in Sunday's final by defeating his compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in just over three hours. Shelton, the world No. 9, had previously eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal match. The victory places the 23-year-old in the first Grand Slam final of his career. Shelton dedicated the result to his late grandmother and noted the significance of playing on the 25th anniversary of September 11.

Addressing the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match, Shelton called for local support ahead of the final.

“I will need you on Sunday to bring that energy. Let us do this for the USA.”

Chasing long-standing national titles

Zverev reached his third consecutive Grand Slam final of 2026, having won the French Open in June and reached the final at Wimbledon. He is the first German male player to reach three consecutive Grand Slam finals and the first to reach two US Open finals, following his loss to Dominic Thiem in 2020. Zverev has accumulated 52 singles match wins on tour in 2026, the highest total of any player, including 24 victories at Grand Slam tournaments.

Both finalists enter Sunday with national title droughts on the line. Zverev can become the first German men's singles champion in New York since Boris Becker won the tournament in 1989. For the United States, Shelton aims to become the first American male player to capture a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.

Final matchup and head-to-head record

The final will take place on Sunday at 14:00 local time (20:00 CEST) in front of nearly 24,000 fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Celebrities attending the semifinal session included actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, alongside former Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo. Zverev enters the final with an undefeated record against Shelton, having won all five of their previous head-to-head matches while dropping only one set across those meetings. Their most recent encounter occurred at the ATP Finals, where Zverev won 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

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Alexander Zverev

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