Zverev slams US Open semi timings after breaking Becker record

Alexander Zverev has criticized US Open organizers for putting him in the first men's semi-final given he will have had a day's less rest than the later pairing.

On Wednesday, the top seed eased into the last four with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

The French Open champion recorded his 23rd Grand Slam victory of the season, surpassing Boris Becker's previous German record of 22.

He will face Russia's Karen Khachanov on Friday and is again considered the favourite. Zverev beat Khachanov in the final of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Their match has been scheduled as the early semi-final so that US duo Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton have the limelight in the evening session. 

However, both their quarter-finals were a day earlier than Zverev's, albeit with Shelton not beating titleholder Carlos Alcaraz until 3.30 am New York time.

"That certainly does not play into my hands," the 29-year-old German told a news conference.

"I find it a bit strange that people who have had two days off are now playing after us. I have never experienced that in my 12 years on tour. It is what it is. There are two Americans in the semi-finals, I can understand that they want to play in the evening."

The German was only seriously tested in the second set against Van de Zandschulp, when he saved a set point before taking control of the match.

Zverev, 29, needed just two hours and 17 minutes to secure his third and reach the US Open semi-finals for the third time after 2020 and 2021.

"I started playing better throughout the tournament and I'm very happy to be in the semifinals here,'' said Zverev. "But of course I want to go further."

Early hiccups

He has reached at least the semi-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments this season for the first time in his career, but admitted the best-of-five format helped him after early hiccups in New York this year.

"I think you saw that in the first two rounds when I really didn't play well. I can rely more on physicality a bit more in majors than I can in other tournaments," Zverev remarked.

"In other tournaments, I would have been out in the first round and here I can fight back, play best-of-five, play for four and a half hours and somehow win the match and somehow get into the tournament.''

He is getting used to late nights at Flushing Meadows, joking that he had jetleg and felt like he was at the Australian Open rather than the US version.

"I watched Shelton-Alcaraz until 3.30 am last night,'' Zverev said. "I did not go to bed. I was watching TV because I was sleeping in until 1 pm anyway.

"Credit to Ben, he played an unbelievable match and the day after tomorrow, I think it is going to be a fun semi-final between two Americans."