After rallying from a two-sets-to-love deficit and down three-to-zero within the fifth set to Alex Michelsen within the U.S. Open quarterfinals, Francis Tiafoe has reached his career-high rating of eighth within the ATP live rankings. Tiafoe rallied for a 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Michelsen.
Tiafoe beat Michelsen in a four-hour, 38-minute match. The win over Michelsen was the second five-set victory by Tiafoe within the 2026 U.S. Open over one other American. Tiafoe beat Martin Damm 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and 48 minutes within the first spherical. Tiafoe received his second-, third- and fourth-round matches in straight units.
The win over Michelsen propels Tiafoe to his third U.S. Open semifinal within the final 5 years. Even-numbered years have been good for Tiafoe, along with his U.S. Open semifinal appearances in 2022, 2024 and now 2026. These are the one Grand Slam semifinal appearances in Tiafoe’s profession.
Apart from the three U.S. Open semifinal appearances, Tiafoe has superior to the quarterfinals on the 2019 Australian Open, 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open. The deepest run for Tiafoe at Wimbledon was the 2022 fourth spherical. Tiafoe’s 24-11 U.S. Open report is his finest at a Grand Slam.
