After a sensational first set, The Frances Tiafoe Express Train derailed Friday night at the U.S. Open — but not before he did himself proud.
After a sensational first set, The Frances Tiafoe Express Train derailed Friday night at the U.S. Open but not before he did himself proud by forcing a fifth set against the 19-year-old phenom, Carlos Alcaraz, in a semifinal classic.
Alcaraz looked fresh as a daisy after dropping a first-set tiebreaker with his breathtaking speed, drop shots and full arsenal of angled groundstrokes that wore down Tiafoe, who looked up to the challenge early before sputtering, though rose up to force a fourth-set tiebreaker with exceptional grit. Tiafoe’s deep run and fourth-set revival offered hope the 24-year-old from the Washington D.C. area can be a factor in majors for years to come after a somewhat disappointing career that began in Flushing Meadows when he was 16.With fans chanting “Let’s go Frances, Tiafoe got a second wind when all looked hopeless. At 5-4, he saved a match point with a sensational get of an Alcaraz drop shot. He spun it in for a winner that died two feet past the net and the fans were in a frenzy.
Tiafoe’s ride drew celebrities such as Michelle Obama and Jon Bon Jovi. Wizards star Bradley Beal sat in Tiafoe’s box and Nets guard Ben Simmons showed up, too, though he got booed. Alcaraz had his support but the Ashe Stadium crowd was in the American’s favor.