Alexander Zverev faces Karen Khachanov in the US Open semi-finals
Alexander Zverev brings his 2026 form into a US Open semi-final clash against unseeded world No. 50 Karen Khachanov at Flushing Meadows.
Alexander Zverev prepares to step onto the court for a high-stakes clash in the penultimate round of the US Open 2026, bringing an extraordinary season of consistency and deep major runs into his upcoming encounter against Karen Khachanov. This heavyweight contest forms part of the tournament's dramatic closing stages at Flushing Meadows, where the men's draw has narrowed down to a fierce battle for the championship trophy. While Zverev arrives at this stage on the back of relentless dominance and historical milestones across the entire tennis calendar, his opponent has navigated an entirely different, survival-driven path through the fortnight. As the tournament reaches its decisive weekend, fans across the globe are tracking broadcast schedules and previewing how the remaining contenders match up against one another in New York.
According to reporting from Khel Now, Zverev's journey to this point highlights a stellar campaign defined by a maiden Slam victory at the French Open, a subsequent final appearance at Wimbledon where he fell to Sinner, and semi-final appearances across every single major tournament this year. That achievement places him in elite company, joining an exclusive group of just eight men who have managed the feat previously. Furthermore, the German player leads the tour with 51 wins in 2026. Though he needed five sets to survive a couple of early scares, his form has sharpened dramatically in the later rounds. In the quarter-final, he cruised past Botic van de Zandschulp without facing a single break point.
In stark contrast, Khachanov tells a completely different story on his path through the tournament. Ranked No. 50, the Russian competitor finds himself unseeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2018, ending a run of 29 straight majors as a seeded player. His route to the final four required him to scrape past Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime and the USA's Learner Tien before Belgium's Alexander Blockx鈥檚 retirement sent him through to the semi-final.
The historical rivalry between the two players favours the German contender. Zverev leads their head-to-head 6-3, with a 5-3 edge on hard courts and an Olympic gold win in 2021.
Meanwhile, the other half of the men's draw features an all-American showdown. According to NBC Sports, world No. 9 Ben Shelton takes on Frances Tiafoe under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton bested multiple top 100 players on his road to the semifinal, including Greece鈥檚 Stefanos Tsitsipas, Poland鈥檚 Hubert Hurkacz, and Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands. In the quarterfinals, Shelton toppled defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in an electric five-set fight. Tiafoe earned his spot by defeating two seeded players, including No. 22 seed Valentin Vacherot and No. 11 seed Daniil Medvedev, alongside a nearly five-hour comeback win from two sets down against compatriot Alex Michelsen.
| Player | Current Ranking / Seed Status | Key Quarter-Final Result | Head-to-Head Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev | Top seed / Tour leader in wins | Straight-sets win over Botic van de Zandschulp | Leads overall series and won 2021 Olympic gold |
| Karen Khachanov | World No. 50 / Unseeded | Advanced via retirement of Alexander Blockx | Trailing in career meetings against Zverev |
For viewers tuning in from different regions, broadcasters have arranged extensive coverage across television and digital streaming platforms. In the UK, viewers can catch the Zverev vs Khachanov US Open clash live on Sky Sports Tennis. Eligible subscribers can also stream the match on Sky Sports+, NOW, and Sky Go. Viewers in the USA can watch the Zverev vs Khachanov Semi-Final US Open match live on ESPN. The match will also be available through ESPN鈥檚 streaming coverage. Meanwhile, viewers in India can watch Zverev vs Khachanov at the US Open live on Star Sports, with live streaming available on JioHotstar, with the match scheduled to begin at approximately 12:30 AM IST at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 12.
The broader tournament picture points directly toward the championship decider. As NBC Sports notes, in the final, Tiafoe or Shelton would face the winner of the other men鈥檚 semifinal match between top seed Alex Zverev and world No. 50 Karen Khachanov.
The US Open men鈥檚 final will be played on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. At the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
