Frances Tiafoe Reaches Third US Open Semifinal With Five-Set Comeback

Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on Tuesday to secure his third career major semifinal appearance.

No. 11-seeded Frances Tiafoe advanced to the 2026 US Open semifinals by defeating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on Tuesday. The match lasted 4 hours and 38 minutes, concluding with a 10-6 tiebreak in the fifth set. Tiafoe overcame a two-set deficit and trailed 3-0 in the final set before rallying to victory. The win marks the first time a man has come back from two sets down in a US Open quarterfinal since 2014.

Michelsen, who entered the match without having dropped a set in the tournament, served for the match with a 5-4 lead in the third set but was broken after committing two double faults. In the deciding tiebreak, Tiafoe secured a 7-4 lead by winning three consecutive points and later ended the contest with a 135 mph ace. Michelsen, aged 22, fell to a 0-6 career record in five-set matches following the loss.

With this result, Tiafoe joins Andre Agassi as the only American men to reach three US Open semifinals in the 21st century. The victory also ensures Tiafoe will return to the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time in three years. He is scheduled to face No. 8 Ben Shelton in the semifinals on Friday. Shelton reached the round by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in five sets, guaranteeing an American man will compete in Sunday's final.