Frances Tiafoe rallies from two sets down to reach US Open semis

sportsSep 8, 2026371,346

Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down to beat fellow American Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a 4 hour 38 minute quarter-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Tiafoe, the 28-year-old 11th seed, recovered after being two points from elimination in the third set and after Michelsen had served for the match and led two sets to love. The unseeded 22-year-old Michelsen, from Laguna Hills, had dominated early, breaking repeatedly and firing a 134 mph ace while threatening to become the first American man since Jim Courier in 1991 to reach the US Open semis without dropping a set. After the final point Michelsen collapsed in tears and Tiafoe held him in a 23-second embrace at the net. The match played in a half-empty Arthur Ashe Stadium following Aryna Sabalenka’s long earlier win, and Tiafoe had spent his previous rounds in Louis Armstrong Stadium where he is unbeaten in 10 matches this year. The victory sends Tiafoe into his third US Open semi-final in five years; he will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Ben Shelton on Friday for a place in his first grand slam final.

Douglas Reyes-CeroÑ

@dreyesceron.bsky.social

the ending of the Frances Tiafoe vs. Alex Michelsen match with Tiafoe giving a long hug to Michelsen after the final tiebreaker point #USOpen

4454h ago

Jake8

So glad this guys going on the run hes on rn

John Benn5

underrated part is not letting him handshake Allensworth lmao

Quoting this

April Glick Pulito41

well I’m a bigger Frances fan than I was when I woke up today

Brian Wilde20

This is why we love sports. This is why it is unique.

Anna Gifty18

DMV SUPREMACY!!!!!! BLACK PEOPLE BLACK PEOPLING.

TED 🇺🇸5

Very nice. That’s called sportsmanship, kids. I suspect you’ve never seen it before, but please do admire it. It is a wonderful and admirable thing.

Lennie Brisco County Jr 4

I don’t follow Tennis at all. But every clip of Tiafoe I see makes him seem like a really great Dude.

Timothy4

sometimes sports are pretty cool

Mattie Kaiser3

Feeling so privileged to see this match, and this moment, in person. We all nearly started crying too

Your fave's fave3

The way white dude broke down when Tiafoe hugged him says a lot. And my guy's colorway was FLAMAGRA

Zendaya, confused2

Our sport has the best hugs

Tennis Updates

@tennisupdates.bsky.social

Frances Tiafoe hands Alex Michelsen a devastating defeat 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7¹⁰-6⁶. Michelsen clearly in tears during this hug at net, he led 2 sets to love and was up 5-3 in the 3rd, nothing beats 5 set tennis. Tiafoe made the 2022 and 2024 Semifinals and now makes it in 2026

2945h ago

Stacia Lentz 13

I am glad Frances won but feel heartsick for Alex.

🏆Knicks Forever🏆8

NOTHING beats 5-set tennis for real

Salty in the South3

I love tennis so much

Adam Bowen2

Great run for a rising Alex; he should be proud of what he has done over the past 10 days. This is an exciting half of the draw, can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

Julio C. Zuniga-Moya2

Tiafoe will crash terribly against Alcaraz. Michelsen would have been a better opponent, but thats tennis.

BrianECarr11

This could be his last best chance to win a major. Take advantage of this unique situation. The German abuser did at the FO and got a chip. Not to suggest Big Foe is anything like that pos. Big Foe has alway and is a gentlemen and class act off and oncourt. It was a tough match but Foe to the semis!

Quoting this

April Glick Pulito37

@cjzero.bsky.social can you nab this? It feels almost voyeuristic but Foe is a class act

BadToss18

American men take notes! This is sexy!

kelsey7

dudes do in fact rock

Caro Paquin6

Heartbreaking to see, but such sportsmanship from Frances to try and comfort Alex.

Dre Harrison5

Man, if I lost from there I'd have balled my eyes out too. Dudes rock.

Jacob Crouch3

This was absolutely incredible to watch live. HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE SPORTS?!?

juna3

got me crying in the work event

MariaMia🐾🐾🐾2

A heartfelt moment…Tiafoe hugged Mickelsen for the longest time What a fantastic match What a great sportsman

blown a wish 🇾🇪🍋⚡️🍉2

If you’re not into Tennis or ever watched, now is a great time to follow!

Anansi2x42

Milchelsen let the moment get to him. Was the better player.

The Tennis Letter

@thetennisletter.bsky.social

Tiafoe d. Alex Michelsen 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6(6) FRANCES IS BACK IN THE US OPEN SEMIFINAL. WHAT A COMEBACK. Alex served for the match and hadn't dropped a set all tournament before today. It's Tiafoe's third career Slam semifinal... every single one has been here in New York. How special.. 🇺🇸

1135h ago

Quoting this

Amadi Lovelace2

This match was an absolute nailbiter beast, and either man winning would have absolutely deserved it. But I'm very very pleased that it was Francis.

Neil

@neilforreal.bsky.social

I spent that whole match rooting for Frances Tiafoe and then when Alex Michelsen dissolved in tears in Tiafoe's arms, I'm, like, oh no! don't! you'll win too! 🥺😢 Tennis is the cruelest, greatest sport in the world. 🎾 #USOpen

Alex Michelsen and Frances Tiafoe embrace after their match at the US Open.

1344h ago

Stewart Tan4

What an intense match! Big Foe won this match rather than Alex losing it. Yeah, he got tight when he was serving for the match but battled until the end

Stephanie4

Exactly my feelings of the win, and then that moment too 🥹

Cat Meng2

agreed - that was bittersweet

TeeCee Watson🐾🐱🐶🐾1

I felt the pain watching his mother. There's nothing you can do to ease the pain. Big serve, big hitter, he'll be in a finals soon.

westielover2.bsky.social1

Yes, that was emotional. I felt the same way last night after watching Tien lose. I wanted him to win so badly and his sadness just hit me. We have some good young players up and I can't wait to see them in action again.

absolute horses1

Idk where you were watching but the camera cut away while they were still huggong like -- did the intensity of this make the camera operator uncomfortable??

Quoting this

Bill Connelly67

One of the coolest/hardest post-match embraces I've seen. Michelsen was so close.

Not the Guy 5

me with my friend who drank too much

joseencarnacion.bsky.social3

this was too hard to watch @rainesgs.bsky.social @paraprod.bsky.social @omarzahran.bsky.social

Ben Rothenberg

@benrothenberg.bsky.social

Frances Tiafoe gets the most iconic win of his career yet, back from two sets and a late break down to beat an on-fire Alex Michelsen. 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6). Emotional embrace after the handshake; Michelsen understandably devastated after he was so good and so long.

715h ago

Courtney Nguyen

@fortydeucetwits.bsky.social

alex michelsen walked to the line to serve out the win vs. frances tiafoe and a spot in the us open semifinals. he has now lost 7 straight games. frances qinwen zheng

476h ago

Jorge A. Caballero, MD

@datadrivenmd.social

Frances Tiafoe demonstrated great sportsmanship, here. Big win. Big heart. Big Foe. #USOpen 🎾

211h ago

Josh J Architect1

he saw his friend was hurt, so he stopped to check on him.

seekingjustice.bsky.social1

Big Foe Great match- great guy!

rodmickleburgh.bsky.social

@rodmickleburgh.bsky.social

Man, what a scene. Frances Tiafoe embraces Alex Michelsen, who convulses in tears after losing to Tiafoe, when he was up 5-3 and serving for the match in set 2. But nerves got him and he couldn’t recover. Sports drama at its best and most emotional. #USOpen

204h ago

Quoting this

Julie DiCaro12

No way!!!! I turned it off in the 3rd set because I didn’t want to see Tiafoe lose! Gaaaahhhhhh

Adam Gretz

@adamgretz.bsky.social

This Tiafoe-Michelsen match rocks. I also imagine this is going to be a crazy late night of tennis.

245h ago

Matt

@mattmurph24.bsky.social

Tiafoe pulls off epic comeback vs. Michelsen to reach US Open semis thescore.com/atp/news/359...

174h ago

Paul Barrett ❌👑

@paulthedogman.bsky.social

Big Foe! Great victory at the US Open. Even greater: moment of sportsmanship reassuring his vanquished foe, his friend, Alex Michelsen, who played a terrific match, too. Go, Frances! Go, Big Foe!! www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2...

164h ago

Mark Taylor

@emarktaylor.bsky.social

🎾 #Tennis #USOpen #USOpen2026 Mary Carillo mentions that both players are billionairesses (she later goes into their backgrounds, i.e. parents, etc., for the overseas audience) ...

133h ago

absolute horses5

I see ppl are complaining that comms don't talk about this and it's just not true?

Ollie V.1

I was wondering which commentator would bring that up

Ashley1

Travel on private planes and shit 😹

Quoting this

Ollie V.2

I think this was on the world feed bsky.app/profile/emar...

Perfect Match?2

LOL finally someone just said it.

Oh, The Freemanity!!!

@freemanity.blacksky.app

Francis Tiafoe did that, but that moment with Alex Michelsen at the end broke me. What a class act during the best moment of his career while his friend is living one of the worst. #USOpen

124h ago

Chris Reid

@chrispreid.bsky.social

ABSOLUTE CINEMA AT ARTHUR ASHE! 🗽🎾🔥 Frances Tiafoe downs Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller (5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 [10-6]) to reach the US Open semifinals! Came back from 2 sets down AND saved match point! 🤯🇺🇸 Big Foe is built for the night sessions in New York! 🗣️🔥

74h ago

Joshua Dysart

@joshuadysart.bsky.social

Tennis heads know... this was an awesome moment. For the rest of you... there's ALT TEXT.

Tennis player Alex Michelaen falls into an emotional embrace with opponent Frances Tiafoe at the net after losing a grueling quarterfinal match at the 2026 US Open. Tiafoe postponed celebrating his incredibly hard-fought win to huge his opponent for longer than is almost ever seen in post-game tennis.

Michelsen had led the match two sets to love and was up 5-3 in the third set, serving for the match when Tiafoe staged a massive comeback, ultimately winning a 4-hour, 38-minute thriller 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6). The two men were exhausted.

Crushed by the loss in his first-ever major quarterfinal, 22-year-old Michelsen, who is both unseeded and had not lost a single set at the US Open before this match this year, playing the most amazing tennis of his life, broke down into tears at the net when the match ended and was met by Tiafoe, we're the deeply emotional hug went down.

In his post-match interview on ESPN, Tiafoe, who is ranked as the 12th best Tennis player in the world, said of the embrace, "Man I know. I've been there... I know how much that hurts."

113h ago

3 sources

espn.comTiafoe rallies past Michelsen in 5 sets to make US Open semis bbc.comUS Open 2026 results: Francis Tiafoe beats Alex Michelsen after trailing by two sets and break theguardian.comTiafoe completes epic comeback to break Michelsen’s heart at US Open

Shohei Ohtani, unlikely to pitch again in 2026sports 2026 Ballon d'Or Nominees Unveiled, Coaches Shortlistedsports Frances Tiafoe rallies from two sets down to reach US Open semissports

Frances Tiafoe rallies from two sets down to reach US Open semis

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