Frances Tiafoe became the first American since 2006 to reach the U.S. Open men’s singles semifinals on Wednesday with a three-set 7-6(3), 7-6(0) victory and 6-4 against Russian Andrey Rublev.
Supported by a boisterous, partisan crowd at Arthur-Ashe Stadium, the 24-year-old from Maryland State delivered a performance as solid, if not more so, than the one he offered to knock out 22-title holder Rafael Nadal. of the Grand Slam in singles, in a fourth-round match.
” It’s crazy. I scored the biggest win of my life 24 hours ago. […] This is gigantic growth. It’s hard to turn the page,” said Tiafoe, 22.e seeded in the competition.
Then, looking towards the next step and wanting to make sure everyone knew that this important milestone in his career would not be enough to satisfy him, Tiafoe added this: “Let’s savor this one. We got two more left, guys. We have two more left. »
Andy Roddick, 16 years ago, was the last American to make it this far in the men’s singles draw at Flushing Meadows. He then lost in the grand final against Roger Federer.
Roddick is also the last American to win a Grand Slam singles tournament, a feat he achieved in 2003 at the US Open.
For his first appearance in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament, Tiafoe will face the winner of the duel presented later on Wednesday between the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, seeded third, and the Italian Jannik Sinner, ranked 11.e.
Tiafoe played combative and attacking tennis and used 18 aces and quality net play to good effect to eliminate the ninth seed. Tiafoe won 31 of a possible 41 at net. Rublev only ventured there 11 times.
For Rublev, it was a sixth defeat in as many attempts in the quarter-finals of Grand Slam tournaments.
Earlier in the day in the women’s competition, Aryna Sabalenka earned her ticket to the women’s singles semi-finals after defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Sabalenka is the only player still in action in both men’s and women’s singles to reach the semi-finals of the tournament last year. She had lowered her flag to Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez, an unfortunate finalist in 2021.
The Belarusian, seeded noh 6, will face the favorite, Iga Swiatek, or the American Jessica Pegula, ranked eighth, for a place in the final.
“I’m ready,” Sabalenka said. “I am ready for another battle. »
Sabalenka has never made the final of a Grand Slam tournament before.
She quickly showed her colors, carving out a 4-0 lead against runners-up at Flushing Meadows in 2016, and took just 28 minutes to win the first set.