ATP Alexander Zverev US Open 2026 big4

Zverev breaks the barrier and enters the most exclusive club of modern tennis

Fernando Murciego - 12 Sep 2026
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Zverev breaks the barrier and enters the most exclusive club in modern tennis. Source: Getty

Alexander Zverev has just achieved something that goes far beyond reaching his second final at the US Open. The German has earned a spot on a list of names that, over the past two decades, practically represents the recent history of tennis.

With his qualification for the final in New York, the German becomes the seventh player of this century capable of reaching three consecutive Grand Slam finals. The statistic is even more impressive when reviewing the names that appear alongside his: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. It’s truly remarkable company for a Zverev who, for a significant part of his career, has lived in the shadow of the three greats and, more recently, under the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner.

The German had already played in the US Open final in 2020, although that defeat to Dominic Thiem left a wound that accompanied his journey for years. Now, six years later, he is once again one match away from lifting the trophy in New York, doing so after chaining Grand Slam finals.

The statistic also puts into perspective the magnitude of his season. In an era where it seemed Alcaraz and Sinner were destined to indefinitely split the major stages, Zverev has managed to make his way to become one of the main protagonists on the circuit. And doing so alongside Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Alcaraz, and Sinner is no small feat. We are talking about players who have defined eras, accumulated Grand Slams, and shaped the tennis of their generations.

Now Zverev has the opportunity to turn this statistical achievement into something even more significant by winning that third consecutive final and lifting his second Grand Slam. For now, he has already secured a seat at a table that very few have had access to this century. That is no small matter.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev rompe la barrera y entra en el club más exclusivo del tenis moderno