Zverev and Dimitrov target US Open semi-finals

Alexander Zverev, aged 27, alongside fellow Grand Slam veteran Grigor Dimitrov, who is 33, aims to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday, moving closer to their first Grand Slam titles.

They face American players Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, who are determined to end a 21-year drought for a male champion from the United States.

In the women's competition, world number two Aryna Sabalenka, the 2023 runner-up, is set to compete against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, while Emma Navarro will face Paula Badosa in a match featuring two New York natives.

AFP Sport examines the four quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday at Flushing Meadows:

Taylor Fritz (USA) vs. Alexander Zverev (GER)
Head-to-head: Zverev leads 5-4

Zverev was the runner-up to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final, having relinquished a two-set advantage. The German also fell short against Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final this past June, in another five-set match.

With four-time champion Novak Djokovic eliminated in the third round, Zverev stands as the highest-ranked male player remaining in his section of the draw, aspiring for his third semi-final appearance in New York.

"I am doing everything within my power to secure a Grand Slam title; everything else is beyond my control," he stated. "I am striving to give my best, and I hope it will suffice at some point in my career."

In 2023, Fritz advanced to the quarter-finals and has already reached three quarter-final stages at the Grand Slam events this year.

Fritz triumphed over Zverev in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July, coming back from two sets down, with Zverev hindered by a knee injury that forced him to finish the match "on one leg."

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. Frances Tiafoe (USA)
Head-to-head: Dimitrov leads 3-1

At the age of 33, Dimitrov is the oldest competitor remaining in the tournament and is aiming for a second semi-final appearance in New York, having reached the last four in 2019.

During that tournament, Dimitrov defeated Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, marking the end of the Swiss legend's US Open career before succumbing to Daniil Medvedev.

Often considered one of the greatest players never to secure a Grand Slam title, Dimitrov has yet to reach a final in the majors after 15 years of competition.

Tiafoe, known for his entertaining style, has reached the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.

He made it to the semi-finals in 2022, where he was defeated in five sets by the eventual champion, Carlos Alcaraz.

Paula Badosa (ESP) vs. Emma Navarro (USA)
Head-to-head: Badosa leads 1-0

Badosa has reached the quarterfinals in New York for the first time, having never advanced beyond the second round in previous years.

The Spanish player, who was born in the city, has experienced a remarkable turnaround after facing the possibility of retirement just three months ago due to a stress fracture in her back.

"I was feeling pain every day I woke up. So for me, it didn't make sense," Badosa remarked about the injury that caused her world ranking to drop below the top 100.

Badosa has become the first Spanish woman to reach the quarter-finals since Carla Suarez Navarro achieved this feat in 2018, marking a significant milestone as it has been 28 years since a Spaniard last advanced to the semi-finals, a distinction held by Conchita Martinez.

Navarro secured her first US Open quarter-final appearance by defeating defending champion Coco Gauff in a three-set match on Sunday.

Prior to this year, the 12th-ranked American had experienced first-round exits in her two previous appearances at the tournament.

In the matchup between Zheng Qinwen (CHN) and Aryna Sabalenka (BLR), Sabalenka holds a 2-0 advantage in their head-to-head encounters.

The Olympic champion Zheng aims to seek retribution for her defeat to Sabalenka in the Australian Open final.

The Chinese athlete has reached the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, having also faced Sabalenka in 2023.

Zheng has already made a mark at this year's US Open by defeating Donna Vekic in the latest-ever finish for a women's match, concluding at 2:15 a.m. on Monday.

She is only the second Chinese woman to reach two quarterfinals in New York, following the renowned Li Na, who accomplished this in 2009 and 2013.

Zheng has recorded a tournament-leading 49 aces over four rounds, while the equally formidable Sabalenka has only been broken four times.

This marks Sabalenka's fourth consecutive appearance in the US Open quarterfinals.