Alexander Zverev took another big step towards a second Grand Slam title by beating Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2 7-5 6-1 to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The 29-year-old French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up got off to a slow start in his campaign at Flushing Meadows but has steadily found his range.
Zverev played five-set matches in each of the first two matches, but he has won his last three in straight sets and is the only man to reach all four Grand Slam semi-finals this year.
Into his 13th major semi-final, Zverev will face Karen Khachanov in the last four for a spot in Sunday's final.
"I think you saw in the first two rounds, I really didn't play well," said Zverev, who has spent 16 hours and 40 minutes on court, the most by any man en route to the semi-finals at the US Open since 1991.
"In other tournaments I would be out in the first round, but here I can fight back and play best of five sets, play four-and-a-half hours. I've started playing better throughout the tournament and I'm definitely happy to be in the semi-finals here."
The German was far from steady on serve early on at Arthur Ashe Stadium, coughing up five double faults in an erratic start, but Dutchman Van de Zandschulp leaked forehand errors to allow the top seed to break in the fifth game and then take the first set.
Van de Zandschulp regrouped in the second set and came close to levelling the contest, but Zverev absorbed the pressure and reeled off three games in a row towards the end as the momentum swung firmly in the German's favour.
Zverev, the 2020 runner-up, fired an overhead smash to break early in the third set and cruised home from there to reach his third semi-final in New York.
Khachanov advanced to the semi-finals when Alexander Blockx retired trailing 6-2 7-5 3-2, as the world No 50 reached the final-four stage in Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2022.
Blockx, who became the first Belgian man to reach the quarter-finals here, was already carrying a rib injury into the match and was visibly hampered by further physical issues.
He wore a brace on his right ankle and had his thigh wrapped, with the 21-year-old also calling for the trainer during the contest.
Khachanov will return to a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time since reaching the last four at the Australian Open in 2023.
"I was preparing really well for that match-up; it's not easy because I feel I was dominating then I felt he was struggling more and more," Khachanov said on court.
"He was suffering, but I wanted to keep the energy there. I wish him a speedy recovery but I'm super happy I'm in the semis."
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