NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Frances Tiafoe of the United States reacts in the fifth set against Alex Michelsen of the United States during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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For a couple of hours on Tuesday afternoon, it appeared that Alex Michelsen would become the first American man to reach this year’s U.S. Open semifinals.
He served for the match against Frances Tiafoe in the third set and looked to be cruising toward his first major semifinal.
But Tiafoe said not so fast.
The No. 11 seed broke Michelsen twice at the close of the third set and roared back for a thrilling five-set victory, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6) in 4 hours, 39 minutes before a jam-packed crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach his third U.S. Open semifinal.
“Crazy match today,” Tiafoe said on ESPN. “Obviously, I didn’t feel like I was at my best but Alex played really well. He wasn’t nervous for the moment, and he really made me come up with some good stuff.
“Just an incredible match and happy I stayed with it and didn’t make any excuses.”
Michelsen, ranked No. 46 in the world, hadn’t dropped a set before the Tiafoe match. He looked like he would keep the streak going after taking the first two sets.
“I went to the bathroom [after the second set] and I was just looking at myself like, ‘Just don’t lay down, stay with it, make him earn it, see if he gags a little bit because obviously the moment’s so big and he’s never really been there’ and that’s ultimately what happened,” Tiafoe said.
In Friday’s semifinals, Tiafoe, 28, will face the winner between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and No. 8 Ben Shelton, the top-ranked American man.
An American man hasn’t won a major since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open.
“Wins like this are huge to feel like you can play against anybody, you can last to sustain the battle,” Tiafoe said. “Obviously, I would’ve liked to play better but I’m super happy to stay in it.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Alex Michelsen of the United States reacts after winning the first set against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Both of Michelsen’s parents, Sondra and Erik, played college tennis, and he originally intended to play for the University of Georgia. But after a massive summer surge in August 2023—which included winning an ATP Challenger title and reaching his first ATP Tour final in Newport, R.I. — he announced via Instagram that he would bypass college to compete full-time on the ATP Tour.
En route to nearly reaching the semis at the Open, he took out No. 16 seed Brandon Nakashima and No. 27 Tomas Etcheverry, both in straight sets.
In the match tiebreak, Tiafoe ripped a 96 mph forehand winner to go up a mini-break at 3-2.
Tiafoe then went ahead 5-4 by ripping a forehand service return winner.
Tiafoe cranked a 134 mph service winner to go ahead 7-4.
He ripped a 135 mph ace to make it 8-6.
With Michelsen serving at 6-9, Tiafoe crushed a forehand passing shot winner.
Soon the two men embraced at net and Michelsen was seen crying on Tiafoe’s shoulder.
“As soon as I hugged him, I seen he was crying already and I was like, ‘Man, I know. I’ve been there, I’ve been there twice, to be fair, lost in five,” Tiafoe said. “…We’re super tight, we’ve always had a great relationship, we laugh and joke all the time, he’s one of my good buddies on tour. I know how much that hurts, I know how much he wanted it today, it’s something you dream about on tour. I just told him, ‘I know bro, but you’re gonna be here so many more times and I know I’ll be in a rocking chair when you do.”
In the decisive fifth set, Michelsen broke Tiafoe at love to go ahead 2-0. He then calmly ripped a forehand winner up the line to go ahead 3-0 on his serve.
But Tiafoe broke back to 2-3 when Mickelsen sailed a backhand long on break point.
Serving at 5-all in the fifth, Michelsen showed huge composure by digging himself out of a 0-30 situation to hold for 6-5.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Frances Tiafoe of the United States returns a shot against Alex Michelsen of the United States during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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With Tiafoe serving at 5-6, 15-40 in the first set, he sailed a forehand deep, allowing Michelsen to seize the set.
Michelsen was all over Tiafoe’s serve and ripped a huge two-handed backhand down the line off a second serve to break for 3-1 in the second set.
Michelsen closed out the second set on his serve with a wicked crosscourt forehand winner to take a commanding two-sets-to-love lead.
Michelsen then broke early in the third set to go ahead 2-1.
“It’s not as if [Tiafoe] is not trying to make adjustments [on his serve],” Andy Roddick said on ESPN. “He’s moved the second serve around, he’s taking different routes on the serve…It’s just a mixture of not quite executing correctly and the constant pressure from Alex Michelsen.”
Serving at 4-3 in the third, Michelsen fought off two break points and then got to game point with a nifty forehand passing shot as Tiafoe approached the net.
Michelsen then ripped a 130 mph service winner for 5-3.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Michelsen showed his nerves by double-faulting twice and sailed a backhand long on break point. Tiafoe let our a roar after tying it at 5-all.
With Michelsen serving at 5-6 to stay in the set, Tiafoe broke him when Michelsen netted a forehand volley.
Michelsen showed his frustration while serving at 0-1 in the first set, and appeared agitated at a fan eating something behind him. He was broken to fall behind 0-2.
Michelsen broke back for 2-3 in the fourth with a forehand crosscourt winner.
But Tiafoe held with a service winner to force a fifth set.
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