RismadarVoice Reporters
September 9, 2026
American tennis star Frances Tiafoe produced a remarkable comeback on Tuesday, recovering from two sets down to defeat compatriot Alex Michelsen and book his place in the semi-finals of the US Open.
The 11th-seeded Tiafoe won the five-set thriller 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) after four hours and 38 minutes of intense action.
Michelsen appeared firmly in control after taking the opening two sets and establishing a 3-0 lead in the deciding set.
However, Tiafoe refused to surrender, gradually turning the contest around before sealing victory in the match tiebreak.
After the match, Tiafoe went across the court to console the 22-year-old Michelsen, who broke down in tears following the painful defeat in his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Tiafoe admitted that he had struggled early in the contest.
“It wasn’t good, let’s put it that way. It wasn’t good,” he said, explaining that the best-of-five format gave him time to recover.
“I definitely waited for the last minute.”
The victory takes Tiafoe into his third US Open semi-final. He previously reached the last four in 2022 and 2024.
He will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or fellow American Ben Shelton in the semi-finals.
A victory by Shelton over Alcaraz would guarantee an American in Sunday’s final as the United States continues its search for its first men’s singles Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.
Tiafoe has previously faced both Alcaraz and fellow American Taylor Fritz at this stage of the tournament. He lost to Alcaraz in the 2022 semi-final, while Fritz defeated him in the 2024 edition.
Michelsen had entered the quarter-final as the only man in the tournament yet to lose a set.
He appeared on course for another straight-set victory when he served at 5-4 in the third set, but consecutive double faults and an error at the net allowed Tiafoe to break back.
Michelsen acknowledged that the momentum shifted after that moment.
He said Tiafoe had not initially played at his best but found his rhythm as the match progressed.
The American pair then battled through a tense deciding set, with Tiafoe again finding a way back after falling 3-0 behind.
At one stage, frustration boiled over as Tiafoe smashed his racket against the court, but he regained his composure when it mattered most.
In the match tiebreak, Tiafoe won three consecutive points to move 7-4 ahead before delivering a 135 mph ace after Michelsen briefly reduced the deficit.
The victory also means Tiafoe will return to the world’s top 10 in the next ATP rankings, three years after he last occupied that position.
For Michelsen, the defeat extended his poor record in deciding sets. He has now lost all six matches in which he has been forced into a fifth set.
