Alexander Zverev will play Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe in the 2026 US Open men’s singles final.
Playing the first of the two men’s semi-finals, Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov in straight sets.
During his post-match interview, the German said he planned to watch the second semi-final between the two Americans.
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Then, in his press conference, Zverev was asked to comment on the prospect of playing an American in the US Open final.
Alexander Zverev says he has no problem playing in front of ‘hostile crowds’ ahead of the US Open final
“I enjoy these kinds of atmospheres,” said Zverev.
“I’ve played a lot of French guys in France. I think the most hostile crowd, if you call it that, is if you’re playing a French player in Paris, Bercy, back in the day. That was quite intense, and I always enjoyed those kinds of atmospheres.
“Of course I’ve played Australian guys in Australia, played Arthur Fery now in Wimbledon. The Wimbledon crowd is a bit different, though; there is no question about that!
“But for me, a loud and energetic crowd is always great, as long as they are fair.
“As long as they don’t interrupt in the middle of points.
“I always enjoy these kinds of atmospheres.”
Zverev says he has no problems with hostile crowds, but does his record reflect that?
Alexander Zverev’s record vs Home favourites at Grand Slams
- 2-1 vs Australian players at the Australian Open
- 5-0 vs French players at the French Open
- 2-0 vs British players at Wimbledon
- 5-1 vs American players at the US Open
The German is a combined 14-2 against players competing at their home Grand Slams.
He did, however, lose the last time he played against an American at the US Open – to Taylor Fritz two years ago.
Zverev will be keen to avoid the same fate on Sunday.
Alexander Zverev gives his verdict on Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe
The top seed will play Tiafoe or Shelton in the final.
Starting with Tiafoe, he shared his thoughts on both players during his press conference.
“Frances [Tiafoe] is somebody who can do anything with a tennis ball; he can be aggressive, he can also mess around with it a little bit,” said Zverev.
“He can be tricky to play, for sure.
“I have massive respect for him.
“I’ve known him for almost 20 years now, similar to Karen.”
Zverev described Tiafoe as ‘tricky to play’, although his head-to-head record tells a different story.
Alexander Zverev and Frances Tiafoe’s head-to-head record (9-1)
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2026 Indian Wells – 4R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2024 Laver Cup – RR | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-7, 7-5 (10-5) |
| 2023 French Open – 3R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 3-6, 7-6, 6-1, 7-6 |
| 2021 Vienna Open – F | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 2019 China Open – 1R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2019 US Open – 2R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 |
| 2018 Paris Masters – 2R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2017 Cincinnati Open – 2R | Frances Tiafoe | Alexander Zverev | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2017 Wimbledon – 2R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2017 Australian Open – 2R | Alexander Zverev | Frances Tiafoe | 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 |
He has only lost to Tiafoe once, winning their nine other ATP Tour meetings.
Zverev also has a dominant head-to-head record against Shelton, but was keen to compliment the 23-year-old.
Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton’s head-to-head record (5-0)
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2025 ATP Finals – RR | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2025 Cincinnati Open – QF | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2025 Stuttgart Open – SF | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 7-6, 7-6 |
| 2025 Munich Open – F | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2024 Cincinnati Open – QF | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 |
“Ben [Shelton] is just a big, powerful guy,” he said.
“Massive serve, massive groundstrokes, everything he does is just big.
“They’re different styles of tennis players, but they’re both very exciting.”
Zverev knows better than to underestimate his opponents, even if he will walk onto the court as the favourite to win the US Open.
The 2026 US Open men’s singles final will be played on Sunday, September 13.
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