NEW YORK – Frances Tiafoe made a remarkable comeback in his quarterfinal match at the U.S. Open, securing his spot in the semifinals for the third time. He triumphed over Alex Michelsen with a final score of 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on Tuesday, demonstrating resilience and tenacity that have become hallmarks of his playing style.
Tiafoe, the No. 11 seed, faced significant challenges during the match. After losing the first two sets and falling behind 3-0 in the fifth, he displayed an extraordinary level of determination, ultimately finishing the match in 4 hours and 38 minutes. Following the victory, Tiafoe showed sportsmanship by comforting Michelsen, who was visibly emotional after his first major quarterfinal experience.
With this win, Tiafoe advances to the semifinals, where he will await the outcome of the match between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and No. 8 seed Ben Shelton. This matchup holds significance as it could ensure an American contender in the finals, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since 2003 when Andy Roddick claimed the title. Tiafoe expressed his excitement to the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, stating, “I’m going to enjoy this one, though. Let’s go!”
In the previous years, Tiafoe reached the semifinals in both 2022 and 2024 but faced tough opponents in Alcaraz and fellow American Taylor Fritz, respectively. The stakes were high this time, especially as Michelsen had been on a dominant run, not dropping a set in the tournament until this match. Michelsen initially served to win the match at 5-4 in the third set but faltered under pressure, allowing Tiafoe to break back.
Despite being down, Tiafoe’s experience shone through. He managed to claw his way back, turning the tides in the match tiebreaker with a strong performance, including a powerful 135 mph ace that sealed his victory. His achievement places him in an elite group, as he joins tennis legend Andre Agassi as one of only two American men to reach three U.S. Open semifinals in the 21st century.
As Tiafoe prepares to return to the top 10 in the ATP rankings for the first time in three years, Michelsen, ranked No. 46, will look to learn from this experience, as he now stands at 0-6 in matches that go to a fifth set.
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