Zverev cruises past van de Zandschulp into US Open semis

Top seed Alexander Zverev motored into the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday, cruising past the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets to stay on course for his second Grand Slam title.

World number two Zverev, who bagged his maiden slam at the French Open in June, never looked in trouble as he powered to a 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 29-year-old German star, a losing finalist at the US Open in 2020, will face unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals on Friday.

Zverev will head into the last four brimming with confidence after an assured performance against the 70th-ranked van de Zandschulp, who was broken twice in the opening set as Zverev took control.

Van de Zandschulp did show some fight in the second, and threatened to level when earning a set-point on Zverev’s while leading 5-4.

But the Dutchman botched a return to let that chance slip and Zverev leveled at 5-5 before breaking in the next game for a 6-5 lead when van de Zandschulp sent a wild forehand wide.

Zverev held serve to take the set and a 2-0 lead, and van de Zandschulp’s fleeting resistance was broken.

The 30-year-old quickly went a double break down to trail 4-1, and then was was broken again in the seventh game as Zverev wrapped up victory.