Zverev powers into US Open final ahead of all-American semi

Alexander Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) to reach the US Open final.

The number one seed Zverev is aiming to add to his 2026 French Open title.

Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe face each other for the right to play Zverev in the final.

Alexander Zverev knows what it's like to endure a long wait for a grand slam title. Now the delay's over for him, he wants to keep the drought going for American men's tennis.

Zverev will play for his second major title this year after beating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) in the US Open semifinals.

Zverev will play on Monday morning (AEST) against number eight seed Ben Shelton or number 11 Frances Tiafoe, who meet this morning for the right to become the American man playing for the title. Both have been semifinalists at Flushing Meadows but neither has reached a major final.

The US is still seeking its first men's grand slam champion since Andy Roddick won in New York in 2003.

Zverev, who had long been considered the best men's player without a major, finally broke through at the French Open this year . The German followed by reaching the Wimbledon final, which he lost to Jannik Sinner, and is 24-2 in grand slam matches this season.

"Sometimes just things go your way and I feel like I've had a lot of struggles at the major level. I was so close so many times and maybe this year God has said that this is going to be your year and just enjoy the time on the court," Zverev said.

Now he will try to win the title that he still can't believe he let get away in 2020. Zverev won the first two sets against Dominic Thiem but then lost in a fifth-set tiebreaker, as Thiem became the first man to win the US Open title after dropping the first two sets since 1949.

Zverev was solid after going up two sets this time, and has won 13 consecutive sets after becoming the first number one-seeded man to play five-setters in each of the first two rounds of a major.

Khachanov was trying to reach his first major final after a surprising run in New York. He arrived with a losing record for the season but went on to reach his third grand slam semifinal, including second at the US Open.

He started playing better after dropping the first set and then falling behind 2-0 in the second. He finally broke Zverev's serve to tie it and it stayed even until they went to the tiebreaker. The Russian erased Zverev's first two set points in it before Zverev finished it off by winning a 34-shot rally.

Khachanov then had leads of 3-0 and 5-2 in the third-set tiebreaker before Zverev battled back.