Top seed Alexander Zverev advanced to his fourth Grand Slam semifinal of 2026 by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets at Flushing Meadows, while Karen Khachanov reached the final four after opponent Alexander Blockx retired injured during their Wednesday quarter-final match at the US Open.
Alexander Zverev Defeats Botic van de Zandschulp
Alexander Zverev’s path through the US Open has straightened out considerably since his turbulent opening rounds. The top seed at Flushing Meadows dispatched unseeded Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 in a Wednesday night encounter lasting two hours and 17 minutes. The victory secures a full sweep of Grand Slam semifinals for Zverev in 2026, marking a career milestone for the player. Zverev took care of business in the quarterfinals against the unseeded Botic van de Zandschulp on Wednesday, winning 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 in two hours and 17 minutes. He will face another unseeded player, Karen Khachanov, in the semifinals on Friday.
Van de Zandschulp entered the match after back-to-back five-set wins in the previous four days, and any hope for an upset receded when Zverev broke him in his third service game. Zverev continued to do what has made him so successful this season, pairing a lethal first serve with the ability to dig in and extract mistakes from his opponent. Van de Vandschulp reached only two break points against him, winning neither. That gave Zverev a comfortable path to victory, though he did have to save a set point with his serve in the second frame. He responded with a late break of van de Zandschulp, ending the closest thing to peril he experienced all match. Zverev had some double-fault issues early, with five in the first set, but he still managed to land 70% of first serves and win 77% of those points overall, with eight aces.
That consistency stands out in a men’s draw. Zverev fell short of a comeback against a hobbled Alcaraz in the Australian Open semifinal, triumphed in a depleted field at Roland-Garros, and got overwhelmed by Sinner in the Wimbledon final. Zverev became the first men’s No. 1 seed to play five-set matches in each of the first two rounds of a major in the Open era, which began in 1968. But he won his last three matches in straight sets and is the only man to reach all four major semis this year. The draw was noticeably friendly to Zverev from the outset, and then even more potential hurdles fell early on. By the end of the second round, Zverev’s highest-possible seeded opponents in the fourth round (No. 13 Lorenzo Musetti), quarterfinals (No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur) and semifinals (No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime) were already out.
Alexander Blockx Retires as Karen Khachanov Advances
Karen Khachanov Reaches Semifinals After Alexander Blockx Retires
Waiting for Zverev in Friday’s semifinals is Karen Khachanov, who reached his third career Grand Slam semifinal when 21-year-old young standout Alexander Blockx retired in the third set due to a rib injury. Playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final, the 21-year-old first received medical treatment for a blister on his foot before struggling with a back issue.
I think today my body just gave up,
said Blockx, who had come close to retiring from his fourth-round win against Francisco Cerundolo with a rib injury.
Blockx noted that he had nearly stopped in his last match because of his injuries. As he got treatment for multiple body parts Wednesday, he said he was neither upset nor angry. 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,
Blockx said. 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.
Khachanov won the first two sets 6-2 and 7-5, and the No. 28 seed from Belgium decided it was time to stop after Khachanov broke his serve to take a 3-2 lead in the third. Khachanov observed that his young opponent was suffering all over his body, forcing him into unfamiliar movement patterns.
Contrasting Paths for Zverev and Khachanov
Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov Prepare for Semifinal Clash
The semifinal pairing pits two players together, with Zverev holding a career 6-3 record against Khachanov. Khachanov secured his place in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time since the Australian Open in 2023. A former world number eight, a disappointing run of results over the past few months have resulted in Khachanov’s ranking dipping to 50 and he is unseeded at a major for the first time since 2018. Khachanov was unseeded in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2018 after a strange season. He reached at least the third round of all four majors for the first time but is just 10-15 in other events, with losses in the opening rounds of all three hard-court events before coming to New York. Khachanov said he will have to come up with his “best form” to defeat Zverev and reach his first major final.
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 said
Zverev, meanwhile, says he will have to be wary of his opponent and his extensive 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 said. Khachanov wished Blockx a speedy recovery
after the match.
PlayerTournament SeedPath to SemifinalsAlexander ZverevNo. 1Defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in straight setsKaren KhachanovUnseededAdvanced via retirement of Alexander Blockx
An All-American Showdown on the Other Side of the Bracket
On Friday, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe will stride onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for a rare showdown: just the third all-American men’s US Open semifinal of this century. Both players arrive with serious momentum after impressive victories. Tiafoe staged an improbable comeback, clawing his way back from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen. Shelton, meanwhile, finally slayed goliath, toppling reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set classic that finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest conclusion in US Open history. No. 8 Ben Shelton and No. 11 Frances Tiafoe are waiting on the other side of the bracket, after a pair of dramatic five-set wins on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Shelton is playing the best tennis of his life. His thunderous serve can top 150 MPH, but it is his ability to blend relentless offense with gritty defense that truly sets him apart. Tiafoe, meanwhile, has always found his groove during the American hard-court swing. Now in his third US Open semifinal, the 28-year-old is looking to break through and reach his first major final. Like Shelton, he can dominate with his serve and forehand. For Tiafoe, a fast start will be crucial because Shelton has not eased up throughout the tournament. This clash promises fireworks, but with Shelton’s current momentum, he appears to have a slight edge. Either way, fans should expect a thriller.
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