Alexander Zverev is in the US Open final | Goal.com

Published on 11 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 3 minutes

Repeating the 2021 Olympic final, the reigning French Open champion beat Russia's Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6).

Now one win from the title, the Hamburg player will face one final hurdle in Sunday's showpiece: a home favourite, either Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe. The Tokyo Olympic champion has outstanding records against both, although he will also have to deal with the US fans.

Twenty-five years on from the shocking terrorist attacks on the USA, 9/11 shaped the semi-finals. The date was inscribed on the hard court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and spectators cried during the national anthem. Then the court in New York belonged to the two protagonists, who have known each other since their junior days. Khachanov, who had entered the tournament only as the world number 50, is a "hard worker", Zverev said: "We call him the Professor, he knows everything about tennis, I have huge respect for him."

Zverev had also studied the 30-year-old superbly. His powerful serve, his physique and his calmness carried him into his third Grand Slam final of 2026 in front of Hollywood stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, as well as Brazilian football idol Ronaldo.

For the fourth match in a row, Zverev came through without dropping a set, even if the former top-20 player Khachanov matched him at times and the pair produced thrilling rallies in the second set. Boris Becker particularly praised Zverev's physical strength, which pays off in the decisive moments. "It is no coincidence that he is the world champion in training," he said on Sporteurope.tv.

This time Zverev was on court in the afternoon rather than after nightfall. The unusually early scheduling "does not play into his hands", but the world number two also showed understanding for the organisers: in the later semi-final, two home favourites in Shelton and Tiafoe meet, in primetime in the States. The USA are desperate for a Grand Slam winner in the men's singles, with the last major success at the US Open coming from Andy Roddick in 2003.

That early switch could yet work in Zverev's favour, with Sunday's final starting as early as 2pm local time (8pm).

Sunday gives Zverev the chance to put the finishing touches to a year in which he has certainly also benefited from the injuries and spells of weakness of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. No player has won more matches in 2026, his seemingly endless pursuit of a major triumph ended at the French Open, and now he can finish the year with two Grand Slam titles. Only Boris Becker has managed that as a German so far, in 1989 (Wimbledon, US Open).

A New York victory would also bring world number one within reach for Zverev. The world's leading player Sinner withdrew from the US Open because of discomfort in his right knee. Since his Wimbledon final victory over Zverev in July, the Italian has not played a match, and there has been no update on his fitness. The South Tyrolean still has more than 3,500 ranking points to defend by the end of the season, Zverev only around 1,000. If the German triumphs on Sunday, he will move to within 1,810 points of Sinner.

First, though, Zverev must once again cast off the baggage of the past. In 2020, at the age of 23, he had already had one hand on the silver trophy. After taking a 2-0 set lead against Dominic Thiem, Zverev was only two points away from triumph, but still let the match against the Austrian slip from his grasp in five sets.

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