He started the tournament with back-to-back five-setters, fighting through grueling conditions and upset-minded opponents. Since then it has been an express train to the semis for Alexander Zverev, the top seed who has spent his evenings winning quietly, advancing with relatively little drama.
Last night the German continued the trend, easing past Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 to set a semifinal with Karen Khachanov.
Earlier on Thursday Khachanov advanced past Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, who was forced to retire due to injury in the third set, the Russian winning, 6-2, 7-5, 3-2 [Ret.].
For Zverev, who has won his last three matches in straight sets in New York, the eventual winner of this tournament will be the one who handles all the pressure and finds a way to block it out and simply do what he does best.
“I think the person who’s going to win here is going to be the one that plays the best tennis. It’s sometimes as simple as that,” he said.
“Yes, there are nerves, there are things that go on through your head when you try to win your first major. I have been there. Trust me, I have had every single thought that there can be in your head. But I think, at the end of the day, good tennis will prevail, and we’ll see who that will be on Friday and then also on Sunday.”
Zverev leads Khachanov 6-3 in their head-to-head. This is what he had to say of the Russian, who reached his third Grand Slam semifinal with his win over Blockx on Wednesday.
“I think he’s somebody that works extremely hard. He’s on the practice courts more than most people. He’s always searching for solutions. He’s always, you know, trying to find new ways to get better. He has a great coach who I’ve known also since juniors. He’s been with him since juniors. That I respect a lot when people go together for a long time and go together a long way.”
Carlos Was Rusty, Ben Was Unreal
Clearly Zverev looks like more the favorite than he did two days ago, given the fact that Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night by Ben Shelton.
He’s the only former Grand Slam champion remaining in the draw, and he has won 18 of 19 matches at the Slams since his run to the Roland Garros title commenced in May.
He’s a different player now, compared to what he was before his triumph.
Zverev is well aware of what might lurk on the other side of the draw, having watched Shelton take out Alcaraz in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, a match that finished at 3:33 PM.
Shelton will face Frances Tiafoe on Friday in an all-American semifinal.
“Ben played extremely well from the baseline,” he said. “He was extremely stable from the baseline. I thought that was phenomenal to see. Of course, serving well, whatever, that’s normal for him, but I think from the baseline his tennis was incredibly good.
“I think Alcaraz, you could see maybe that he was a bit rusty. He hasn’t played a top, top player in a while, because he was missing maybe a few more forehands than he used to do. But I think credit to Ben. Ben played amazing.”
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