Frances Tiafoe returns to US Open quarters over Alexei Popyrin

NEW YORK — Some extent away from shedding the second set together with his opponent serving, Frances Tiafoe checked out a constructive.

No less than, he figured, he would be capable of change out of his sweaty shirt and sneakers.

A few minutes later, he hadn’t modified his garments. He had modified across the match.

Tiafoe rallied to steal the second set and went on to earn his manner again to the US Open quarterfinals for the third straight 12 months, beating Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3 on Sunday night time.

“The second set was an enormous, big win for me,” Tiafoe stated. “You recognize, 5-3, 40-love, him serving, how good he serves, that was actually, actually large. To interrupt there after which to win that set was big.”

The No. 20 seed will try and match one of the best Grand Slam results of his profession when he faces No. 9 seed Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday for a berth within the semifinals.

Tiafoe misplaced to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in that spherical in 2022 and was eradicated final 12 months within the quarterfinals by Ben Shelton.

Tiafoe is the primary American man to achieve three consecutive US Open quarterfinals since Andy Roddick from 2006 to 2008. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are the one different American males since 2000 to achieve the ultimate eight in New York three straight occasions.

All that after what had been a poor first half of the season earlier than Tiafoe heated up on the hard-court swing main into the US Open.

“Every thing is occurring when it is meant to occur,” Tiafoe stated. “I am glad it is occurring now as a result of that is crucial time for me.”

Tiafoe wanted no additional motivation earlier than Sunday’s match however stated a shock go to and an surprising pep discuss from 23-time main winner Serena Williams impressed him like by no means earlier than.

“Telling me she’s all the time following it doesn’t matter what, telling me it is so good to see now that I am performed, you are the man of coloration enjoying and doing effectively,” he stated.

“I am, like, rattling. That is actually, actually cool that she sees me as that.”

Williams returned to the event Saturday for the primary time since enjoying her closing match at Arthur Ashe two years in the past and was noticed once more Sunday, taking within the motion.

“It was actually cool to have her wish to discuss to me earlier than a match and actually say she desires me to do that factor and that I am able to doing it,” Tiafoe stated. “I do not assume it can hit me like that if anyone else stated it to me.”

Williams, nevertheless, could be torn on who to cheer for when Tiafoe and Dimitrov meet within the subsequent spherical, as she counts the Bulgarian as a longtime buddy. Dimitrov stated she additionally gave him a pep discuss Saturday, and she or he was within the stands when he beat Andrey Rublev on Sunday.

As for Tiafoe, he turned his match late within the second set, when Popyrin was serving with a 5-3 lead and an opportunity to even it at a set apiece. Tiafoe gained the subsequent 5 factors to interrupt and shortly took management of the tiebreaker by leaping to a 4-1 lead.

Popyrin, the No. 28 seed from Australia, upset defending champion Novak Djokovic on Friday to achieve the fourth spherical of a Grand Slam for the primary time. However he believed he may need gone additional had he put away the second set.

“Undoubtedly a misplaced alternative,” Popyrin stated. “I have been saying all week that I feel in opposition to these prime gamers it’s a must to take your probabilities when you will have them. Clearly 5-3, 40-love up serving, it is a actually large choke from my finish.”

No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz gained earlier Sunday, and one other American, Tommy Paul, will play No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner of Italy within the fourth spherical Monday. Ought to Paul win that, he would be a part of Tiafoe and Fritz to offer the U.S. three males within the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for the second consecutive 12 months.

The final time there have been that many gamers from the host nation within the US Open males’s quarterfinals twice in a row was in 2001 and 2002.

The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.