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US Open 2017: Kevin Anderson reaches first Grand Slam final

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Anderson of South Africa celebrates after defeating Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Kevin Anderson defeated Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth set with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Anderson of South Africa celebrates after defeating Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Kevin Anderson defeated Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth set with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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The rise of Kevin Anderson has been one of the best stories to emerge from the 2017 US Open. At 31 years of age, he’s now reached his first Grand Slam final.

Throughout his 10-year professional tennis career, Kevin Anderson has been one of the most consistent men on the ATP World Tour. With a peak ranking of No. 10 in the world, Anderson has earned the reputation of a powerhouse with a big serve and overwhelming ground strokes.

In his 34th career major tournament, Anderson has proven to be far more than anyone previously believed him to be.

Entering the 2017 US Open, Anderson was viewed as a splendid talent who lacked the mental fortitude to win the big one. Under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows, however, Anderson has completely reshaped the way the tennis world views him.

On Friday, September 8, Anderson proved just how far he’s come by reaching his first career Grand Slam final with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreño Busta.

Nine months removed from a hip injury that caused him to drop out of the Top 75 in the world, Anderson has achieved the unimaginable.

Anderson is the first South African player to reach the US Open final during the Open Era. He’s the sixth man of the Open Era to reach a US Open final when ranked outside of the Top 16 seeds—an even more incredible truth when one considers the fact that he’s ranked No. 32.

Two of the previous five players to achieve that against-all-odds feat won the US Open final they reached: Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.

The remarkable run continues to increase in improbability and historical value.

The 6’8″ big man is known to be able to work the baseline as well as most anyone on the ATP World Tour. What’s changed at the US Open, however, is that he’s become more mentally resilient and emotionally expressive than ever before.

That’s sparked one of the most compelling stories of the 2017 tennis season, if not the Open Era.

Must Read: The future of the WTA Tour is arriving in a surprising US Open final

Improbable doesn’t begin to do this justice. Kevin Anderson has done the unthinkable by reaching his first career Grand Slam final in his 34th career major tournament.

The US Open is as wild and predictable as ever before.

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