No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the US Open semifinals with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp on Wednesday night. The French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up will face Karen Khachanov on Friday, while Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe meet in the other semifinal.

Zverev became the first men's No. 1 seed in the Open era to play five-set matches in each of the first two rounds of a major. After logging over 4½ hours in each of those early matches, he has won his last three in straight sets and held serve in 31 consecutive games. He is the only player, men's or women's, to reach all four Grand Slam semifinals this season, compiling a 23-2 record at majors in 2026.

Despite spending a record 16 hours, 40 minutes on court en route to the semis — the most by any man at the US Open since ATP began tracking times in 1991 — Zverev feels his game is peaking. He lost the 2020 final to Dominic Thiem after leading two sets to love but captured his maiden major title at Roland Garros this year. Zverev leads the head-to-head against Khachanov 6-3, including a five-set win at the 2018 French Open and a straight-sets victory in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold medal match.