Frances Tiafoe won against Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling tiebreaker to advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open 2026. The match was played on Louis Armstrong Stadium, where Tiafoe has a perfect record at 10-0. Tiafoe will face Alex Michelsen, also an American, in the next round.
Tiafoe's performance was described as "brilliant" and he handled pressure well to win the tiebreaker, with Medvedev ultimately falling short after a strong comeback.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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.
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he → want → laugh
“I’m coming forward and I’m having fun.
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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.
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he → ask → venue
“It’s been amazing playing in this court, the energy is amazing.
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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.
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who → look → game
He will face compatriot Alex Michelsen in the quarters.
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He → face → quarters
Tiafoe serves for the match.
asserted
Tiafoe → serve → match
He sends his first serve long.
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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.
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Tiafoe → serve → ?
Medvedev can only return the first serve into the net and we’re level at 5-5.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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he → volley → paint
He holds to 15, so here comes a potentially decisive breaker … which Tom Lutz will bring you.
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Lutz → hold → you
So it’s goodnight from me, and good evening from him.
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it → ’ → him
Tiafoe has handled pressure really well today, holding to 15 to stay in the set at 5-5.
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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.
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drop → prove → 15
But from there, Medvedev quickly secures his hold; can Tiafoe do likewise and force a breaker?
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Tiafoe → secure → breaker
Michelsen is every bit as happy as you’d expect.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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,
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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.
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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.
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he → enjoy → Medvedev
Medvedev, though, holds for 0-2 1-0, then ushers a backhand down the line for a winer and 0-15.
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Medvedev → hold → winer
Can he parlay the start into something more significant?
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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.
