Alexander Zverev managed to pull two sets back to Pablo Carreno to qualify for the US Open final on September 11, 2020. -

Seth Wenig / AP / SIPA

And then suddenly, the click.

Amorphous for two sets, without idea and unable to put a ball in the court, Alexander Zverev ended up waking up to overcome Pablo Carreno Busta on Friday in the semi-finals of the US Open (3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3).

For a long time, this match did not have anything of a semi-final of a Grand Slam tournament.

Blame it on the German, therefore, totally missed his start and missing just about everything he did (36 unforced errors in the first two sets).

“I was looking at the score on the scoreboard… I was at the lowest, I was like 'I'm in the semi-final, I'm supposed to be the favorite in this game and I'm down two sets to nothing.'

But I knew I just had to play better tennis, ”Zverev explained.

Grand Slam semifinals don't come around that often ... @ AlexZverev found the motivation when he needed it most 💪 # USOpen pic.twitter.com/HN8ngTtfvn

- US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2020

So he ended up doing it, relying first on a finally effective serve, both first and second ball, and also showing himself more aggressive in the game. After winning the third set, Zverev has confirmed this ascendancy, taking advantage this time of a drop in power from Carreno who, apologizing for not having done it on purpose, hit the German in the arm on a point in the net.

Somewhat angry, the latter nevertheless managed to maintain his concentration.

In the 5th set, after the Spaniard called on the doctor for his back, he broke from the start and did not give up his advantage to finally win in 3:22.

Led 7-6, 3-3, 30-40 against Mannarino in the 3rd round


Led 6-1, 4-1 against Coric in 1/4


Led 6-3, 6-2 against Carreno Busta in 1/2



And here is Zverev in US Open final, his first in a Grand Slam.

Not great tennis, but a hell of a sacrifice.

- Quentin Moynet (@QuentinMoynet) September 11, 2020

“I can't be happier, it's the first time I've won after being led two sets to zero and I'm doing it at this stage,” exclaimed the 7th World, before quickly coming to his senses: "I know that the highest step remains to be taken".

The German will face in the final a player he knows well and who does not succeed: Dominic Thiem.

The Austrian, 3rd in the world, released Daniil Medvedev in three sets (6-2, 7-6, 7-6).

The finalist of the last edition, who had not lost a set so far, had to bow against stronger than him.

Favorite Thiem

At 27, Thiem will try to win his first Grand Slam title, after losing three times in the final.

He was at Roland Garros against Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019, and at the last Australian Open, in February, against Novak Djokovic.

He will therefore have a fourth chance, his first in the New York Major where his punching power continues to do considerable damage.

The Austrian, against Zverev, has for him the experience of this stage of the competition, and also a clearly positive result (he leads 7-2 in their confrontation).

During their last duel, in the semifinals of the Australian Open a few months ago, he had the last word, after a bitter fight of nearly four hours.

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