Tiafoe completes dramatic comeback from two sets down to reach US Open semis

Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on September 9 in a US Open quarterfinal lasting 4 hours and 38 minutes, per BBC Sport. The 11th-seeded Tiafoe came from two sets and a break down to advance to the semifinals, marking the first such comeback in a US Open men's quarterfinal since Roger Federer defeated Gael Monfils in 2014, per ESPN.

Michelsen, ranked world number 46 and competing in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, had been dominant through the opening sets. He fired 15 winners to Tiafoe's four in the first set alone, per BBC Sport. Michelsen had not dropped a set prior to facing Tiafoe, per ESPN. The 22-year-old served for the match at 5-4 in the third set but double-faulted twice, allowing Tiafoe to break and extend the contest, per BBC Sport.

Tiafoe's 28-year-old Tiafoe acknowledged his early struggles. "It wasn't good, let's put it that way. It wasn't good," per ESPN. He added, per ESPN: "Three out of five is a blessing, because you have time to get it together. I definitely waited for the last minute." Tiafoe spiked his racket to the court in frustration while trailing in the fifth set, per ESPN, and was down 3-0 after Michelsen broke early.

The winning point was an ace at 135 mph in the final tiebreak after Michelsen briefly seized momentum at 5-4, per ESPN. This is Tiafoe's third US Open semifinal, following defeats to Carlos Alcaraz in 2022 and Taylor Fritz in 2024, per ESPN. The victory returns him to the top 10 for the first time in three years, per ESPN, and makes Tiafoe the second American man to reach three US Open semifinals in this century, joining Andre Agassi, per ESPN.

Tiafoe had made two other comebacks after dropping the first two sets earlier in 2026, per ESPN. His coaching change following a third-round loss to Jan-Lennard Struff at the 2025 US Open is credited with the improvement, per BBC Sport.

Michelsen said, per ESPN: "I feel the first three sets I was on top of him. I feel like he didn't really—he wasn't playing like Frances. Then I kind of let him back in at 5-4." After the match, Tiafoe said, per BBC Sport: "He's a hell of a player and he easily could have won today. Shout out to Alex Michelsen."

The emotional moment after the contest drew attention from other players. Jessica Pegula, who advanced to her own semifinal, said, per ESPN: "Just seeing Alex hug him at the end, I started crying in the locker room. It was so heartbreaking. My heart hurt so much."

Tiafoe's victory guarantees an American finalist on Sunday, per ESPN, since he meets eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, who upset defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, in Friday's semifinal. The last US Open men's Grand Slam title won by an American was in 2003 when Andy Roddick claimed the crown, per ESPN. The last US Open men's quarterfinal to go to a deciding set tiebreak occurred in 2019 between Gael Monfils and Matteo Berrettini, per ESPN.