The men’s semifinals are Zverev against Khachanov and Ben Shelton against Frances Tiafoe, both on Friday.
He was brief about it. “Happy to be here. Different kind of match than two days ago, but still happy to win in straight sets and to move on.” Two days ago was Italian No. 21 seed Luciano Darderi, beaten 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3), and before that Chilean No. 25 seed Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-2 and five-set wins over French player Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3 and Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4.
He plays Karen Khachanov on Friday, and expects a match settled from the back of the court. “The one that dominates the rallies from the baseline and is the one that is more aggressive will probably have the better outcome, for sure, because our games are quite similar. We’re two quite tall guys who try to dominate from the baseline. So whoever can do that better I think will win.”
The other semifinal is between the two Americans, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe.
The quarter final was decided on serve. Zverev landed 71% of his first serves and won 77% of the points behind them, hit eight aces and 22 winners. Van de Zandschulp got 53% of his first serves in and won 69% of those points and 38% of the rest, which against an opponent of this size and reach left him defending for most of the evening.
He was also carrying two days of fatigue: he had beaten French lucky loser Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-4 on Monday in 5 hours and 13 minutes, the fourth-longest match in US Open history, having already gone five sets against Belgian No. 31 seed Zizou Bergs 3-6, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3.
He had taken out Australian No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in between, after English player Jan Choinski 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
US Open 2026, men’s singles quarter finals
A. Zverev [1] d. B. Van de Zandschulp: 6-2, 7-5, 6-1
K. Khachanov d. A. Blockx [28]: 6-2, 7-5, 3-2 ret.
F. Tiafoe [11] d. A. Michelsen: 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6)
B. Shelton [8] d. C. Alcaraz [2] : 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7)