Khachanov Topples Top Seed Zverev To Reach Toronto Final

Karen Khachanov
Karen Khachanov (photo: Peter Power/Tennis Canada)

TORONTO/WASHINGTON, August 7, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

It’s been eight years since Alexander Zverev won the ATP Masters 1000 National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in 2017. While the World No. 3 Zverev played like a man on a mission in pursuit of his second Canadian title since arriving last week in Toronto for this year’s tournament, he finally met his match in Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

Although the World No. 16 Khachanov didn’t always play his best tennis against Zverev in Sobeys Stadium Wednesday evening, his resilience rewarded him with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory in two hours and 52 minutes. The win advanced Khachanov to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in nearly seven years.

Zverev, the only former champion left in the draw, took a 5-2 head-to-head advantage into his semifinal match against Khachanov. For a set, it looked like the top seed from Germany was ripe for an upset by the 6-foot-6-inch Muscovite. But, once Zverev got his first break of Khachanov’s serve to secure the second set and to send the semifinal to a decider, it seemed like the momentum was shifting in his favor.

However, Zverev couldn’t seem to close out the match in the third set. Instead, Khachanov saved a match point in the error-strewn semifinal – the two competitors combined for 78 unforced errors – and eventually won five straight points from 1-3 in the final-set tie-break to pull out the win. By the end, Khachanov gave it everything he had – and was rewarded for his effort.

During his on-court interview, Khachanov was asked what it meant to him to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final since 2018. “I had to work it out,” he said. “I had to dig deep and try my best – to lift up my level to where it had to be. I think it was a very demanding, very physical, very mental match.

“I’m happy to finally beat him after losing some easy ones to him in recent years. Today was a really close one. I was match point down, if the ball touches the net and drops over we wouldn’t be talking now. I’m thankful I won and things went my way.”

The No. 11 seed Khachanov finished with 29 winners and made 34 unforced errors. He converted one of three break points and outpointed Zverev 105-102. Zverev ended with 36 winners – including 13 aces – and committed 44 unforced errors.

Khachanov, who was playing in his third semifinal in Canada (2018-19, 2025), garnered his first Top-10 win of the season – and reached his second ATP Masters 1000 final after winning at Paris in 2018 at age 22. Now 29, Khachanov (27-16) reached his first final of the 2025 season after semifinal losses in Barcelona and Halle. He’s the sixth player ranked outside the Top 10 to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final this year.

The loss denied Zverev (39-15) of earning his 40th triumph of the season and reaching his fourth final this year.

Meanwhile, in the other semifinal – the first all-American ATP Masters 1000 semifinal since 2010 – World No. 7 Ben Shelton defeated World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 6-3, in a hour and 18 minutes late Wednesday evening to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final. It was his second straight win over a Top-10 opponent after beating World No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday – the first time Shelton has achieved consecutive Top 10 victories.

Shelton, who improved to 26-1 this season after winning the first set, finished with 21 winners to 27 unforced errors, converted three of 10 break points and saved the only two break points he faced. He outpointed Fritz 64-48 to become the youngest American to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick in 2004 at Toronto.

“I think for me it was about keeping him moving, keeping him off balance,” Shelton said during his post-match news conference, explaining his game plan against Fritz. “Mixing up the way that I play, but playing within my limits, and being really solid. He makes a lot of balls, he hits a big ball, and if he’s on his front foot all the time he’s a tough guy to beat. So that was my plan, and my execution was really, really good tonight.”

Shelton, who became the first American men’s finalist in Canada since Reilly Opelka in 2021, beat Khachanov, 6-3, 7-5, in their only meeting earlier this season at Indian Wells.

Wednesday’s NBO results

Thursday’s NBO order of play

By the numbers

Since the ATP Masters 1000 series began in 1990, Novak Djokovic leads all players with most finals reached with 60, followed by Rafael Nadal with 53 and Roger Federer with 50. Alexander Zverev is seventh with 12. 

“Quotable …”

“At the end of the day, it’s still a Masters 1000, and I think these are the biggest tournaments that we have on the ATP Tour. We’re fighting for big things here. It’s a privilege to play in these kind of events. Yeah, I think it’s not beneficial for top players that it’s a two-week event now.”

– Top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany, during his post-match news conference Monday on the importance of playing Canada each year and not skipping it as so many top players did in 2025.

 

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