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Frances Tiafoe said his close relationship with Alex Michelsen made the moment even more difficult.
Alex Michelsen was serving for victory at 5-4 in the 3rd set before opening the door for his opponent. (AP Photo)
Alex Michelsen could barely hold back the tears after his heartbreaking US Open quarterfinal defeat to Frances Tiafoe. Tiafoe rallied from two sets down and then fought back from 3-0 behind in the deciding-set tiebreak to beat the 22-year-old Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) in a gruelling four-hour, 38-minute battle on Tuesday.
The most poignant moment came after the final point was played.
As the two Americans embraced at the net, Michelsen broke down in tears.
The defeat had ended the biggest Grand Slam run of his young career, after he had reached his first major quarter-final without dropping a set.
Tiafoe could empathise having been at the other end on previous occasions.
“As soon as I hugged him, I’d seen he was crying already and I was like, ‘Man, I know. I’ve been there’,” Tiafoe told ESPN. “I’ve been there twice to be fair. Lost in five.”
Tiafoe, who has now reached the US Open semifinals for the third time in five years, said his close relationship with Michelsen made the moment even more difficult.
“He’s young and he hasn’t been there. And 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,” Tiafoe said. “And I know how much that hurts. I know how much he wanted it today. It’s something that you dream about.”
Michelsen, the world No. 46 served for victory at 5-4 in the third set, only for two double faults to open the door for Tiafoe.
After losing that set, Michelsen still recovered to take an early lead in the fifth, but Tiafoe refused to surrender.
The match eventually went to a 10-point deciding-set tiebreak, where Tiafoe produced the final surge to secure the victory.
“I wasn’t saying much. I was trying to keep it together, and I didn’t do a good job of that,” Michelsen said. “He was saying a lot of nice personal things.”
Tiafoe told Michelsen that he’s confident their paths would cross again.
“You’ll be there. When I’m older, you’re going to be here, and we’re going to play again in this type of circumstance,” Michelsen recalled Tiafoe telling him.
“But Frances, he’s such a good guy, and he said a lot of personal things and just kind of got to me,” Michelsen added. “Then, yeah, I mean, it took me a few minutes. But it’s normal after a match like that, emotions like that. It takes a little bit of time to get back down to earth, but I’m here talking to you now, so I did okay.”
Quick Answers
Ask News18Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen in a five-set epic during the US Open quarterfinal match on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Tiafoe rallied from two sets down and a 3-0 deficit in the deciding-set tiebreak to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) in four hours and 38 minutes.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
September 09, 2026, 10:53 IST
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