Frances Tiafoe delivered one of the standout performances of this year's US Open, grinding out a marathon three-tiebreak win over 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev to reach the quarterfinals and set up an all-American showdown with Alex Michelsen.
A Tiebreak Thriller
Tiafoe won 7-6(1), 6-4, 7-6(6) over Medvedev in a contest that came down to fine margins, closing out the third set in a tense tiebreak to guarantee an American a spot in the semifinals. The result continues Tiafoe's strong recent record at Flushing Meadows, where he has now reached the quarterfinals or better in three of the last four years.
Michelsen Makes History
Michelsen beat Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4 to become the first unseeded man in the tournament's field this century to reach the US Open quarterfinals without dropping a set, an unlikely run for the young American who entered the tournament well outside the seeded ranks.
Defending Champions Also Advance
Elsewhere on Sunday, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz swept past Tommy Paul in straight sets to extend his Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches, while Ben Shelton also advanced in straight sets over Stefanos Tsitsipas. On the women's side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka survived an early scare against Taylor Townsend, recovering from three early service breaks to win 6-4, 6-3 and keep alive her bid to become the first woman to three-peat at the US Open since Serena Williams.
What's Next
Tiafoe will face Michelsen in the quarterfinals, guaranteeing an American semifinalist on the men's side, while Alcaraz is set to meet Shelton in a rematch of last year's tournament. With ten Americans reaching the fourth round across both draws, this year's tournament is shaping up as one of the strongest showings for the host nation in recent memory.