Top seed Zverev holds off Khachanov to reach US Open final

Top seed Alexander Zverev out-duelled Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6) on Friday to reach his third straight Grand Slam final at the US Open.

Zverev, who followed up his maiden major at the French Open with a runner-up finish at Wimbledon, saved two set points in the final tiebreaker to close it out in straight sets.

The 29-year-old German will face the winner of the all-American semi-final between eighth-seeded Ben Shelton and 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s championship match.

One American will have a chance to end a 23-year Grand Slam singles title drought for US men dating to Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory by defeating Zverev.

Top-ranked Zverev also reached the US Open final in 2020, where he lost in five sets to Dominic Thiem.

Khachanov, ranked 50th, failed to reach his first Grand Slam final. The 30-year-old Russian fell to 3-7 against Zverev, who also beat him in the Tokyo Olympic final.

Khachanov swatted forehands beyond the baseline to surrender a break in the eighth game and then drop the first set as Zverev held serve in the ninth.

Zverev broke again to open the second set, Khachanov sending a backhand long after failing to land a first serve in the game, but later Zverev double-faulted to hand the Russian a break for 2-2 as they fought into a tie-breaker.

Khachanov smacked a backhand down-the-line winner to reach 7-7 in the breaker but Zverev captured the second set two points later when the Russian hit a forehand wide.

In the third set, both men held all the way into the tie-breaker. Zverev saved two set points when Khachanov sent forehands wide and long. Zverev followed with his final ace and won when the Russian sent a forehand long after two hours and 58 minutes.