Frances Tiafoe secured his fifth consecutive last 16 appearance at the US Open, recalling his successful campaign in 2022 where he reached the semi-finals. He triumphed over Rafael Nadal in the fourth round before bowing out to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on his memorable run in Flushing Meadows, Tiafoe expressed his confidence and gratitude for the experience during a press conference following his latest victory against Shelton.
“Well, the Carlos year, I mean, also beat Nadal during that time. It was tough, never been to the semis of a Slam. I felt like I was one of the greatest athletes in the world that time. I felt everyone was just loving me.”
Frances Tiafoe
Tiafoe’s encounter with Nadal marked their third on-court meeting, with previous matches resulting in victories for the Spaniard. Nadal’s absence due to injury has prevented further matchups with Tiafoe since then.
Despite falling short in the semi-finals against Alcaraz, Tiafoe expressed his contentment with his performance and desire to reach a final in New York.
“I would love to play a final, but it was such a great run that I wasn’t really that upset about it. Just happy to be a part of that,” Tiafoe remarked.
Next up for Tiafoe is a match against Alexei Popyrin, who recently upset Novak Djokovic in the third round. Confident in his own abilities, Tiafoe acknowledged the challenge ahead but remained optimistic about his chances.
“I’m probably playing the best tennis of my life right now. He’s always been really talented. He’s starting to put it together. He’s been working really hard. He’s a great guy, great player. Obviously he’s going to be tough. You don’t expect anything easy at this point,” Tiafoe stated.
Popyrin’s victory over Djokovic sets the stage for an intriguing matchup between him and Tiafoe in the upcoming rounds of the 2024 US Open.
