Zverev Reaches Second US Open Final With 6-3 7-6 7-6 Win Over Khachanov

Q: Will a hostile New York crowd finally shatter Zverev's historic 31-game serving streak in the final?

Probably not by itself. A partisan New York crowd could make Zverev uncomfortable, but the evidence from this US Open suggests his serve is holding up under pressure rather than cracking. He reached the final having held serve in 31 straight games, and that run survived exactly the kind of tense conditions he is likely to face on Sunday. Against Karen Khachanov, Zverev dealt with two tight tiebreak sets, a loud reaction from the stands after his complaint about sun glare, and a 4-1 deficit in the final breaker. He still never lost serve and finished the match by saving two set points. His broader form also argues against an easy collapse. Zverev is 23-2 in Grand Slam matches this season, has reached the semifinals at all four majors, and is into a third straight Slam final. After some uneven early rounds in New York, he has won his last three matches in straight sets. That points to a player serving efficiently and managing pressure well. The bigger threat to the streak is not the crowd alone but the opponent attached to it. If Zverev faces Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe, he would be up against an aggressive returner backed by a heavily pro-American atmosphere. Shelton’s power and Tiafoe’s energy can both create scoreboard pressure that matters more than noise by itself. So the crowd may test Zverev’s composure, but based on his serving run and semifinal response, it is more likely to be a factor than the decisive cause of his streak ending.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 11

Top seed Alexander Zverev advanced to Sunday's final by beating Karen Khachanov in straight sets, extending his run to three consecutive Grand Slam finals.
Two tie-breaks decided the match after the opening set, and Zverev saved two set points in the third before closing out the semifinal.
The 29-year-old has not dropped a set since being pushed to five sets in his first two matches in New York, a turnaround he said followed a candid locker-room reset with his team.
Zverev, who won the French Open in June and lost the Wimbledon final to Jannik Sinner, will face either Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe as he chases a second major title of 2026.