Tiafoe has been superb recently, he’s asked why.
asserted
he → ask → ?
“I don’t want to put any secrets out,” he says with a laugh.
asserted
he → want → laugh
“I’m coming forward and I’m having fun.
asserted
I → come → fun
Put that altogether and you’re in the quarter-finals of the US Open.”
asserted
you → put → Open
He’s asked about why he loves the venue.
asserted
he → ask → venue
“It’s been amazing playing in this court, the energy is amazing.
asserted
energy → play → court
It’s the people’s court,” he says.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
A brilliant performance from Frances Tiafoe, who looked sound in every aspect of his game today.
asserted
who → look → game
He will face compatriot Alex Michelsen in the quarters.
asserted
He → face → quarters
Tiafoe serves for the match.
asserted
Tiafoe → serve → match
He sends his first serve long.
asserted
He → send → serve
The second isn’t great but Medvedev finds the net and Tiafoe is through the quarter-finals.
asserted
Tiafoe → find → finals
Tiafoe to serve 4-5 down.
asserted
Tiafoe → serve → ?
Medvedev can only return the first serve into the net and we’re level at 5-5.
asserted
we → return → 5
After a long rally, Tiafoe hits long and Medvedev has set point on his own serve at 6-5.
asserted
Medvedev → hit → 6
But some superb work at the net, from Tiafoe this time, level the score at 6-6.
asserted
work → level → 6
The New York crowd roar in appreciation.
asserted
crowd → roar → appreciation
Tiafoe looks to have held serve with a drop shot but some lovely play at the net from Medvedev gives him the mini-break at 4-3.
asserted
play → look → 4
But he can’t consolidate and we’re back on serve again at 4-4.
asserted
we → consolidate → 4
And a double fault from Medvedev kills his momentum and we’re at 2-2 on serve in the tiebreak.
asserted
we → kill → tiebreak
He makes it 3-2 before we head to Tiafoe’s serve and a strong serve helps him to 3-3 as we change ends.
asserted
serve → make → ends
Big Foe has volleyed superbly today, taking advantage of Medvedev’s position behind the baseline – he’s pretty far back now, having spent some time on the paint – to sneak in.
asserted
he → volley → paint
He holds to 15, so here comes a potentially decisive breaker … which Tom Lutz will bring you.
asserted
Lutz → hold → you
So it’s goodnight from me, and good evening from him.
asserted
it → ’ → him
Tiafoe has handled pressure really well today, holding to 15 to stay in the set at 5-5.
asserted
Tiafoe → handle → 5
And as if to prove how comfy he is out there, a forehand on the run changes the complexion of the rally, then a perfect drop takes him to 15-all.
asserted
drop → prove → 15
But from there, Medvedev quickly secures his hold; can Tiafoe do likewise and force a breaker?
asserted
Tiafoe → secure → breaker
Michelsen is every bit as happy as you’d expect.
asserted
you → expect → ?
He’s not dropped a set in the tournament and isn’t “super-surprised” with his progress as he’s been working hard for years.
asserted
he → drop → years
He’s 0-4 against Tiafoe and 0-2 against Medvedev, but if he plays the former it’d probably be on Ashe, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
asserted
it → ’ → lifetime
Michelsen though, plays a really good point, a second serve catching the edge of the service box and a backhand volley bringing us to deuce; a big serve saves him when he’s down advantage.
asserted
he → play → advantage
Meantime, Tiafoe hods to love, a pirouette at net helping him find a volley for a ball that’s behind him, obscene behaviour, and he leads 2-0 3-3.
asserted
he → hod → behaviour
This is a really excellent performance from Tiafoe – though there were breaks in set one, he’s looked dialled-in throughout and his shot-selection has been very good.
asserted
selection → be → set
But he nets for deuce serving at 2-1, while on Grandstand, Etcheverry holds, meaning Michelsen must serve for the match at 7-6 6-5 5-4.
asserted
Michelsen → net → 7
Annoyingly, my coverage drops out, returning in time for me to see that he’s broken for 0-2 2-0, still in this thing and fighting,
asserted
he → drop → thing
The problem he has is not really having the weapons to blow opponents away, which means in big matches, things are necessarily difficult for him.
asserted
things → have → him
I’m really enjoying Tiafoe’s performance today – I like the way he’s mixing it up and taking it to Medvedev, expecting to win.
asserted
he → enjoy → Medvedev
Medvedev, though, holds for 0-2 1-0, then ushers a backhand down the line for a winer and 0-15.
asserted
Medvedev → hold → winer
Can he parlay the start into something more significant?
asserted
he → parlay → something
It looks like we’re getting all-American quarter, Michelsen finding a winner for 30-40, then unleashing a forehand before sealing the break with an overhead.
asserted
Michelsen → look → overhead
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
