US Open: Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz Set to Face Off in All-American Semifinal

Tiafoe, seeded 20th, reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the second time in three years after his quarterfinal opponent, Grigor Dimitrov, retired due to injury in the fourth set. Tiafoe was ahead 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 4-1 when Dimitrov decided to stop playing, resulting in an anticlimactic conclusion to a match that lacked consistent quality.

“It’s not the way I want to get through,” Tiafoe remarked, “but I’m obviously happy to advance. Another semifinal here. Incredible.”

The match showcased some erratic play, particularly in the tiebreaker where Dimitrov had three set points at 6-3. He double-faulted on the first two opportunities, and Tiafoe's double-fault on the third allowed Dimitrov to take the set.

Earlier in the day, Fritz advanced in a more thrilling fashion, watching as his higher-ranked opponent, Alexander Zverev, sent a final forehand wide. Fritz dropped his bright racket, pumped his fists, and shouted, “Come on!”

After regaining his composure, he embraced Zverev, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, at the net before stepping to the center of Arthur Ashe Stadium, arms outstretched, and exclaiming once more, “Come on!”

Fritz, the 12th seed and a 26-year-old from California, had entered the day with an 0-4 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals. He finally achieved a breakthrough at home, defeating Zverev 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) to reach his first major semifinal.

On Friday, he will face his longtime friend Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland who reached the semifinals of the 2022 U.S. Open before losing to the eventual champion, Carlos Alcaraz. Fritz has a significant advantage in their professional encounters, leading 6-1 in their head-to-head matchups.

“This is the biggest match of our lives,” Tiafoe remarked during an on-court interview. “We’ve known each other for such a long time, having competed against each other since we were in the 14-and-under tournaments. Playing him here is going to be incredible. Although we are both Americans, I hope to have your support on Friday.”

The upcoming Fritz-Tiafoe match, which Fritz described as potentially “crazy” before knowing his opponent, marks the first semifinal between two American men at a major tournament since 2005, when Andre Agassi triumphed over Robby Ginepri in New York.

Since Andy Roddick's victory at the U.S. Open in 2003, no American man has claimed a Grand Slam singles title, with Roddick being the last U.S. representative to reach the U.S. Open final, where he lost to Roger Federer in 2006.

Dimitrov, seeded No. 9, had just completed a grueling five-set match in the fourth round and seemed to be struggling late in the third set against Tiafoe, visibly favoring his left hamstring and moving cautiously between points while serving at a noticeably slower pace than earlier in the match. Following that set, Dimitrov received attention from a trainer before heading to the locker room for further treatment.

He made his way back to the court for the beginning of the fourth set but struggled to move effectively and ultimately decided to withdraw. Dimitrov, a 33-year-old from Bulgaria with three major semifinal appearances, refrained from specifying the exact issue afterward, mentioning only that it was a combination of factors.

“It’s just a disappointing moment for me,” Dimitrov remarked. “I need to take some time to reassess a few things.”

The remaining men’s quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Wednesday: No. 1 Jannik Sinner will face No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, while No. 10 Alex de Minaur will compete against No. 25 Jack Draper.

In the women’s draw, No. 13 Emma Navarro from the U.S. advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal by winning the last six games in a 6-2, 7-5 triumph over No. 26 Paula Badosa, and she will next take on No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.

Fritz showcased his typical combination of powerful serving, winning 20 out of 21 points on his first serves during the fourth set, along with strong forehands. He also proved effective at the net, winning 16 of 24 points when he approached, and managed to create 10 break points with his solid returns.

Although Fritz managed to convert only two of his break opportunities, he consistently applied pressure on Zverev, a German player who reached the finals of the U.S. Open in 2020 and the French Open this year.

Fritz's most recent quarterfinal defeat occurred in July at Wimbledon against Lorenzo Musetti. His other three losses were against two-time Slam champion Novak Djokovic and 22-time Slam champion Rafael Nadal. One of those losses took place at last year’s U.S. Open against Djokovic, who ultimately claimed the title. This time, Djokovic was eliminated in the third round last week, while Nadal did not participate in the tournament.

Fritz’s coach, Michael Russell, noted that these previous setbacks were not discussed prior to this quarterfinal match.

“I’m excited to be in the semifinals, but I definitely feel that ‘the job’s not done,’” Fritz stated. “I’ve often been asked what it takes to advance further after my quarterfinal losses, and my response has always been to keep placing myself in these situations to gain comfort and improve. That’s certainly what has happened now. The quarterfinals didn’t feel as significant to me this time as they have in the past.”