Tiafoe consoles tearful Michelsen after remarkable US Open comeback
Frances Tiafoe fought back from two sets down to beat fellow American Alex Michelsen in a dramatic five-set quarter-final, sealing his place in the US Open semi-finals. The eleventh seed's turnaround was particularly remarkable given Michelsen served for the match in the third set, and the emotional aftermath saw Tiafoe consoling his tearful opponent at the net, underlining the pair's close off-court friendship.
Tiafoe won 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 (10-6) in a contest lasting four hours and 38 minutes, overturning a 5-3 deficit in the third set to reel off a string of comebacks. It was his fourth five-set win at a major this year and takes the 28-year-old to a third US Open semi-final in five years, where he will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or eighth seed Ben Shelton. For 22-year-old Michelsen, playing his first Grand Slam quarter-final, the defeat was a bitter one despite an otherwise flawless run through the tournament, though he said afterwards he expected to return to such stages.
In short
- Tiafoe beats Michelsen in epic five-set US Open quarter-final comeback
- Tiafoe reaches semi-finals, to face Alcaraz or Shelton
- Michelsen in tears after first Grand Slam quarter-final defeat
Explained simply
The US Open is one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments, the sport’s biggest annual events. Its knockout draw means players must win each match to advance, with quarter-final winners reaching the semi-finals.
Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen are American players who know each other off the court. Tiafoe, 28, has reached the US Open semi-finals before, while Michelsen, 22, was playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
A Grand Slam run can shape a player’s standing and bring wider attention to their career. Matches can last several hours, and a narrow defeat at this stage can be especially difficult after a player has come close to winning.
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