Frances Tiafoe stages epic comeback to reach US Open

Frances Tiafoe saved two match points and came back from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen in a US Open quarter-final on Tuesday. The 28-year-old American triumphed 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) after four hours and 38 minutes of play, advancing to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows for the third time in five years.

The 11th-seeded Tiafoe was on the brink of elimination in the third set. Unseeded 22-year-old Alex Michelsen was two points from victory. Tiafoe roared back, forcing a fifth set where he finally sealed the win in a tense first-to-ten-points tiebreaker.

"The moment is huge. Can't downplay it at all," Tiafoe said. "The way it happened, right? Two sets to love down, him serving for it, I'm down breaks early in the fifth."

A dramatic shift in momentum

The match appeared firmly in Michelsen's control. He broke Tiafoe's serve early in the third set and served for the match at 5-4. Nerves then surfaced for the young American. Michelsen opened that important game with consecutive double faults, allowing Tiafoe to break back and level the set at 5-5.

"You're four points away from making a semi-final of the US Open," Michelsen said afterward. "After I double-faulted twice, I was like, 'Oh, here we go. It's not good.' I feel like I just handed it to him."

Thrown a lifeline, Tiafoe seized his chance. He held serve and then broke again to take the third set 7-5. The complexion of the match shifted completely. Tiafoe ended the third set by winning 17 of the last 22 points and carried that momentum into the fourth.

The deciding set and emotional aftermath

The fifth set featured the highest quality tennis of the match. Michelsen broke early for a 3-0 lead, but Tiafoe broke back immediately. Neither player yielded another service game, sending the quarter-final to a decisive tiebreaker. Tiafoe's experience told in the end. He opened a 6-4 lead and closed out a 10-8 tiebreak victory with a forehand passing shot.

The match concluded with an emotional embrace at the net. A devastated Michelsen sobbed on Tiafoe's shoulder for 23 seconds. "I think it was a combination of a lot of things," Michelsen said. "The match was very emotionally draining. Then, you know, it's just Frances."

Tiafoe also spoke warmly of his opponent. "I really like Alex. I really, really do," Tiafoe said. "I just wanted to come up there and just dap him up."

Tiafoe's historic New York run

The victory marks another milestone in Tiafoe's history at the US Open. The native of Hyattsville, Maryland, is now only the second American man this century to reach three semi-finals at the tournament, joining Andre Agassi. He first reached this stage in 2022 and again in 2024.

His path this fortnight included straight-sets wins over Rei Sakamoto, Valentin Vacherot, and seventh-seeded Daniil Medvedev. He also came back from two sets to one down in his first-round match against Martin Damm. The win over Michelsen was the third comeback from two sets down of his career.

Tiafoe believes he is a different player now. "I'm just a different person in general," he said. "Those two runs were great, something I will cherish forever, but I'm not that person who I was when I made one in 2022 and when I made one in '24. I'm excited to see what this me does come Friday."

Michelsen's breakthrough ends

For Alex Michelsen, the defeat ended a spectacular run. The world number 46 had not dropped a set in his first four matches, beating 16th seed Brandon Nakashima and 27th seed Tomas Martín Etcheverry. He was attempting to become the first American man since Jim Courier in 1991 to reach the US Open semi-finals without losing a set.

Tiafoe will face the winner of the quarter-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton on Friday for a place in his first grand slam final.