Russia’s Karen Khachanov recorded a remarkable victory over world No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal of the National Bank Open on Wednesday, winning 6–3, 4–6, 7–6 (7–4) to advance to the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto.
The match lasted 2 hours and 54 minutes and was played under the lights at Sobeys Stadium. It marked Khachanov’s first win over Zverev since 2019 and his second career appearance in a Masters 1000 final.
Khachanov took the first set with a commanding 6–3 lead, breaking Zverev early and maintaining pressure throughout. He won 69% of points on his first serve and never faced a break point in the opener.
A Battle of Nerves and Power
Zverev responded strongly in the second, winning it 6–4 to level the match. He played some of his best tennis late in the set, hitting a drop-volley winner and a scorching forehand down the line to force a decider.
The third set was a tense battle. Zverev held a match point at 5–4 but missed a crucial backhand return that clipped the net and fell back on his side. Khachanov capitalized, producing a series of powerful plays to win five consecutive points in the tiebreak and close out the match.
Statistically, it was a mixed performance. Zverev hit 22 unforced backhand errors and committed seven double faults. Khachanov, while dominant at times, recorded 17 unforced forehand errors.
“I had my chance, especially on match point,” Zverev admitted in the post-match interview. “But I just didn’t feel the ball well enough today.”
Khachanov reflected on the win: “I had to dig deep and lift my level. It was a very demanding, very mental, very physical match. So I’m very happy to get the win after losing some easy ones to him in recent years.”
Final Showdown Set Against Shelton
Khachanov will face American Ben Shelton in the final. Shelton defeated fellow American Taylor Fritz 6–4, 6–3 in the other semifinal. The 22-year-old Shelton is seeking his third ATP Tour title and enters the final with a career-high ranking of No. 7.
This will be Khachanov’s first final at the National Bank Open, having previously reached the semifinals in 2018 and 2019. He won his only Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Paris Masters in 2018.
The final is scheduled for Thursday night. With both players in strong form, fans can expect a thrilling contest.
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