Frances Tiafoe produced one of the comebacks of the US Open season, overturning a two-set deficit and a break down in the third to defeat compatriot Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(10-6) in a gripping quarterfinal on Tuesday at Flushing Meadows.
The 11th-seeded Tiafoe was thoroughly outplayed for the first two sets by the 22-year-old Michelsen, who was competing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final. The world No. 46 imposed his rhythm with crisp, aggressive baseline play and looked poised to close out the match when he broke Tiafoe to lead 5-3 in the third set, serving for victory.
But Tiafoe, a fan favourite on Arthur Ashe Stadium, refused to fold. He saved the game with a sequence of forehand winners and reeled off four consecutive games to take the third set 7-5, shifting the momentum entirely. From there, the American maintained his intensity, breaking Michelsen early in the fourth and converting the first of two set points to level the match.
A chaotic fifth set followed, with both players trading breaks of serve as Michelsen recovered from 0-3 down. The match ultimately came down to a 10-point super tiebreak, where Tiafoe's experience told. He raced to a 7-3 lead before closing out the decider 10-6, sealing a victory after four hours and 38 minutes.
As the final ball landed, Michelsen collapsed into tears at the net. Tiafoe walked to his side and embraced his younger countryman in a prolonged, emotional hug that drew a standing ovation from the crowd.
The result sends Tiafoe into his third US Open semifinal in five years, following runs to the last four in 2022 and 2024. He will face eighth seed Ben Shelton in the next round, setting up the first all-American men's semifinal at the US Open since Andre Agassi beat James Blake in 2003.
It is also the first comeback from two sets down in a US Open men's quarterfinal since Roger Federer defeated Gael Monfils in 2014. For Michelsen, the defeat marks a painful end to a breakthrough tournament but a significant step in the 22-year-old's career.
Sources
https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/c33k6zl5m87o https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/08/frances-tiafoe-alex-michelsen-us-open-quarter-final
