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Tiafoe's Epic Comeback Secures US Open Semifinal Spot
Confirmed
In Short: American Frances Tiafoe overcame a two-set deficit to defeat Alex Michelsen and advance to his third US Open semifinal.
American Frances Tiafoe staged an incredible comeback to defeat Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller at the US Open, securing his place in the semifinals. The 22-year-old, who entered the match with a 2-17 career record at grand slams when trailing 0-2 in sets, dug deep to turn the match around. Michelsen took the first two sets, but Tiafoe fought back to win the next three, including a decisive fifth set that went to a tiebreaker. The victory was a turning point for Tiafoe, who embraced Michelsen at the net and offered words of encouragement, with Michelsen visibly emotional.
The match began with Michelsen jumping out to an early lead, breaking Tiafoe's serve in the third game and holding on to take the first set 7-5. In the second set, Michelsen's serve was sharp, and he broke Tiafoe twice to take the set 6-3. However, Tiafoe's serve improved in the third set, and he broke Michelsen early to take the set 7-5. The fourth set saw Michelsen's struggles continue, as Tiafoe broke him twice to take the set 6-3 and force a fifth set.
Despite the early setbacks, Tiafoe's determination and resilience shone through. He served to start the fifth set and broke Michelsen at love to grab an early advantage. Michelsen fought back to go up 3-0, but Tiafoe refused to give up. He broke Michelsen's serve to level the set at 3-3 and then held serve to take the set 7-6 (10-6). The victory was a significant milestone for Tiafoe, who will now face a tough challenge in the semifinals.
According to reports, Tiafoe's comeback was a testament to his mental strength and fighting spirit. He seemed flat throughout the first half of the match, with an awful first serve percentage below 40% in the first three sets. However, he found the spark he needed to turn the match around. Tiafoe's performance has raised questions about whether he can carry this form all the way to a US Open title, given his history of underperforming in grand slam finals.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula advanced to the semifinals, with Sabalenka battling through to the semi-finals after a tough five-set match against Linda Noskova. Pegula, who has won two titles this year, will face Sabalenka in the next round. The top seed admitted she was pushed to the limit by Noskova but is hopeful of retaining her title.
What's still developing
- Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett have won the US Open doubles title on five occasions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid started their bid for a sixth wheelchair doubles title at the US Open with a dominant opening victory in New York.
- Hewett, 28, and Reid, 34, have 25 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair and begin their singles campaigns on Wednesday.
- Sabalenka fights back to keep US Open defence alive Sabalenka beats Noskova in epic & do we need 5 sets?
- It was a tough loss for 21-year-old Noskova, who was bidding to become only the third woman this century – and the first whose surname is not Williams – to win Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back.
- Pegula claims a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Navarro in an all-American quarterfinal and will face Sabalenka on Thursday.
- Jessica Pegula has booked a third straight US Open face-off with Aryna Sabalenka, grinding out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Emma Navarro to set up a semifinal clash with the two-time defending champion and the world’s top-ranked women’s player.
- Pegula, who has won two titles this year, is among the trio of players who arrived at Flushing Meadows with a chance to supplant Sabalenka atop the world rankings in New York.
- The 32-year-old would have to go all the way to a first major title to have a shot at claiming the top spot.