Alexander Zverev and fellow Grand Slam veteran Grigor Dimitrov look to make the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday and take a step closer to maiden Grand Slam titles.

US duo Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are standing in their way as they aim to end their country`s 21-year wait for a male Slam champion.

In the women`s draw, world number two Aryna Sabalenka, the runner-up in 2023, faces Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen while Emma Navarro takes on Paula Badosa in a clash between two women born in New York, reports AFP.

AFP Sport looks at Tuesday`s four quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows (x denotes seeded player):

Taylor Fritz (USA x12) v Alexander Zverev (GER x4)

Head-to-head: Zverev leads 5-4

-- Zverev was runner-up to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final where he gave up a two sets lead.

The German star also came off second-best to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final in June this year in another five-setter.

With four-time champion Novak Djokovic knocked out in the third round, the 27-year-old Zverev is the highest-ranked man left in his half of the draw as he seeks a third appearance in the semi-finals in New York.

"I`m doing everything I can to win a Slam, everything else is out of my power," he said.

"I`m trying my best and hopefully it will be enough at some stage in my career."

Fritz made the last-eight in 2023 and has already reached three quarter-finals at the Slams this year.

Fritz defeated Zverev in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July from two sets down with the German hampered by a knee injury which forced him to complete the match "on one leg".

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x9) v Frances Tiafoe (USA x20)

Head-to-head: Dimitrov leads 3-1

At 33, Dimitrov is the oldest man left in the draw and is seeking a second semi-final spot in New York after making the last four in 2019.

Back then, Dimitrov defeated Roger Federer in the last-eight, ending the Swiss legend`s US Open career before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

Widely regarded as one of the finest players never to win a Grand Slam title, Dimitrov has yet to even make a final at the majors after 15 years of trying.

Tiafoe, the tournament`s great entertainer, is in the quarter-finals for a third successive year.

He made the semi-finals in 2022 where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Paula Badosa (ESP x26) v Emma Navarro (USA x13)

Head-to-head: Badosa leads 1-0

-- Badosa is in the last-eight in New York for the first time having never previously passed the second round.

The Spanish star, who was born in the city, has enjoyed a dramatic reversal of fortunes after being on the brink of retirement just three months ago due to a stress fracture of the back.

"I was feeling pain every day I was waking up. So for me, it didn`t make sense," said Badosa of the injury which sent her world ranking plummeting out of the top 100.

Badosa is the first Spanish woman to make the quarter-finals since Carla Suarez Navarro in 2018 while it has been 28 years since a Spaniard last reached the semi-finals. That honour fell to Conchita Martinez.

Navarro made her first US Open quarter-final by knocking out defending champion Coco Gauff in three sets on Sunday.

Before this year, the 12th-ranked American had lost in the first round in her two previous visits.

Zheng Qinwen (CHN x7) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2)

Head-to-head: Sabalenka leads 2-0

-- Olympic champion Zheng seeks to avenge her Australian Open final defeat to Sabalenka.

The Chinese star has made the quarter-finals for a second successive year after also losing to Sabalenka in 2023.

Zheng has already made history at this year`s US Open by defeating Donna Vekic in the latest ever finish for a women`s match of 2:15 a.m. on Monday.

She is only the second Chinese woman to have reached two quarter-finals in New York after famed compatriot Li Na in 2009 and 2013.

Zheng has sent down a tournament-leading 49 aces over four rounds while the equally powerful Sabalenka has only dropped serve four times.

Sabalenka is in her fourth successive US Open quarter-final.