Alexander Zverev has achieved a career milestone by reaching all four Grand Slam semi-finals in a single season, advancing to the last four at the US Open with a dominant performance over Botic van de Zandschulp. The top seed defeated the Dutch opponent 6-2 7-5 6-1 in the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium, securing his place in the semi-finals despite an unconventional preparation.
Zverev revealed after his victory that he had remained awake until 3:30am to watch the preceding quarter-final between Ben Shelton and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, a match that concluded at 03:34 local time on Wednesday and set the record for the latest finish in the tournament's history. Rather than disrupting his performance, the German appeared energised by the spectacle.
"I watched Shelton-Alcaraz until 3.30am last night. I did not go to bed, I was up late, I was watching TV because I was sleeping in until 1pm anyway,"Zverev explained.
The 29-year-old's schedule at this year's tournament has been consistently demanding, with his opening three matches concluding at 1:55am, 2:15am and 1:09am respectively. Despite the late finishes, Zverev has maintained his competitive edge and continues to progress through the draw.
In the semi-finals, Zverev will face Russian Karen Khachanov, who advanced when Belgian Alexander Blockx was forced to retire trailing 6-2 7-5 3-2. This marks Zverev's third consecutive Grand Slam final appearance, as he bids to add to his maiden major title won at the French Open earlier this year.
Reflecting on his achievement of reaching all four Grand Slam semi-finals in one season, Zverev acknowledged the significance of the milestone.
"I think the more often that you get to that stage, the more normal it becomes, which is something that you should never take for granted. I think it's a very special feeling when it becomes normality,"he said.
Blockx's breakthrough cut short by physical breakdown
Blockx's remarkable run at the US Open came to an abrupt end when the 21-year-old Belgian was forced to withdraw from his quarter-final against Khachanov. Making his first appearance in a Grand Slam quarter-final, Blockx had never previously advanced past the second round at a major championship before this year's tournament.
The young player's withdrawal followed a series of physical setbacks during the match. He received medical attention for a blister on his foot before subsequently developing back problems that proved insurmountable.
"I think today my body just gave up,"Blockx reflected.
"During the match, it was quite funny to me. I just had to laugh it off because it was just something new the whole time. I felt it was getting worse and worse. I couldn't land without feeling pain, without feeling my back, my ribs. So I just didn't want to yeah, maybe make it worse to miss the entire season."
Blockx had already battled through his fourth-round victory against Francisco Cerundolo while managing a rib injury, suggesting that accumulated physical strain contributed to his withdrawal. Khachanov responded graciously to his opponent's retirement, wishing Blockx a swift recovery.
Khachanov returns to Grand Slam semi-finals after three-year absence
Khachanov's progression to the semi-finals represents a significant achievement for the 30-year-old Russian, marking his first appearance at this stage of a major championship since the Australian Open in 2023. His ranking has declined considerably in recent months, dropping to 50th in the world, and he enters the tournament unseeded for the first time since 2018 following a disappointing run of results.
Despite his current ranking, Khachanov acknowledged the formidable challenge that awaits him in facing Zverev, who has emerged as the tournament favourite following Alcaraz's elimination.
"He's been in the top five for so many years. This year he did also step forward. He won his first Grand Slam, played the final in Wimbledon, as well. He's coming up really in hot form,"Khachanov observed, adding that he will need to produce his best tennis to reach his first major final.
Zverev's path to the semi-finals despite early struggles
Zverev's journey through the tournament has been less straightforward than his seeding might suggest. The German was pushed to five sets in both his opening matches and has conceded 80 games at this year's championship—the second-highest total for any top seed reaching the semi-finals, surpassed only by Rafael Nadal's 85 games in 2018.
Acknowledging his inconsistent form in the early rounds, Zverev credited the best-of-five-set format with enabling his progression despite suboptimal performances.
"I think you saw in the first two rounds, I really didn't play well. In other tournaments I would be out in the first round, but here I can fight back and play best of five sets, play four-and-a-half hours. I've started playing better throughout the tournament and I'm definitely happy to be in the semi-finals here,"he said.
Zverev has accumulated 23 singles victories at major championships during 2026, establishing a new record for a German male player in a single season. This total surpasses Boris Becker's previous benchmark of 22 wins achieved in 1989.
Zverev's respect for Khachanov's tactical acumen
Despite Khachanov's current ranking struggles, Zverev expressed considerable respect for his opponent's comprehensive understanding of the sport. The German revealed that Khachanov is nicknamed "The Professor" within the tennis community due to his encyclopedic knowledge of the game.
"We call him [Khachanov] 'The Professor', actually, because he knows everything about tennis, and he knows every single string tension, knows what everybody does, so that's quite fun,"Zverev explained, indicating that he will need to be tactically sharp to overcome his opponent's sophisticated approach to match play.
