Zverev reaches US Open final after defeating Khachanov in straight sets

Zverev, who followed up his maiden major at the French Open with a runner-up finish at Wimbledon, saved two set points in the final tiebreak to close it out in straight sets. It now marks 12 straight sets that Zverev has won in his past four matches at the tournament, dominating his way to the final after a rough start. 

The German predicted an "absolutely epic" contest between the two Americans, after which he'll be out to thwart the winner's bid to become the first American man in 23 years to lift a Grand Slam trophy.

"Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday," said Zverev, who came agonizingly close to the US Open title in 2020 before falling to Dominic Thiem in five sets.

The 29-year-old German will face the winner of the all-American semi-final between eighth-seeded Ben Shelton and 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in Sunday's championship match.

"I think a lot has happened," he said. "I've played in a lot of other finals. I've played a lot of big matches since then.

"Back then, of course, it was my first Grand Slam final. I was inexperienced ... just different. Everything is different.

"I am pretty sure that the atmosphere is going to be very, very different on Sunday as well," added Zverev, who played to an empty stadium in 2020 amid the Covid pandemic.

"I think it's going to be a fantastic feeling playing a final in a sold-out Arthur Ashe and not in an empty one."

One American will have a chance to end a 23-year Grand Slam singles title drought for US men dating to Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open victory by defeating Zverev.

Top-ranked Zverev also reached the US Open final in 2020, where he lost in five sets to Dominic Thiem.

Khachanov, ranked 50th, failed to reach his first Grand Slam final. The 30-year-old Russian fell to 3-7 against Zverev, who also beat him in the Tokyo Olympic final.

Khachanov swatted forehands beyond the baseline to surrender a break in the eighth game and then drop the first set as Zverev held serve in the ninth.

Zverev broke again to open the second set, Khachanov sending a backhand long after failing to land a first serve in the game, but later Zverev double-faulted to hand the Russian a break for 2-2 as they fought into a tie-breaker.

Khachanov smacked a backhand down-the-line winner to reach 7-7 in the breaker, but Zverev captured the second set two points later when the Russian hit a forehand wide.

In the third set, both men held all the way into the tie-breaker. Zverev saved two set points when Khachanov sent forehands wide and long. Zverev followed with his final ace and won when the Russian sent a forehand long after two hours and 58 minutes.

"I think the improvement has been quite dramatic for me," he said. "It's a great thing, because I really started off the tournament, and I was, like, 'Well, this is pointless because I'm not going to do anything here,' and here I am sitting and preparing for a Sunday final.

"Things like that can happen in sports and tennis. Things can change very quickly for the positive or negative. For me, luckily, it was for the positive.

"Now I'm going to do everything I can to prepare for Sunday."