NEW YORK (AP) — Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen will meet in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
asserted
Tiafoe → meet → quarterfinals
Ben Shelton is there as well, set to face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
asserted
Shelton → set → Alcaraz
The American men are making a real run at ending their lengthy Grand Slam drought.
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men → make → drought
The U.S. hasn’t had a men’s major champion since Andy Roddick won in Flushing Meadows in 2003, and there haven’t even been many great opportunities in the more than two decades since.
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Roddick → have → decades
But backed by the home crowd and in good form, the Americans had five players in the final 16 of a major for the first time since 1995 and will be a real threat in the second week of the final Grand Slam tournament of the season.
“We play so much outside of the States obviously, a lot of time in Europe,” Tiafoe said Sunday.
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Tiafoe → back → Europe
“This sport’s so international, so to be able to play in front of friends, family, loved ones, is amazing.
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’s → ’ → friends
They don’t get to see you much, so you want to put on a show.”
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you → get → show
The No. 11 seed beat 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (6) to move within a victory of his third appearance in the U.S. Open semifinals.
asserted
seed → beat → semifinals
To get there he’ll have to beat Michelsen, who has been the dominant player in this year’s tournament.
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who → get → tournament
The 22-year-old from California beat No. 27 Tomas Etcheverry 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4 and is the only man who has yet to drop a set in the tournament.
“We’ve been working really hard to get to this point and I’m really happy but not super surprised because of all the work I put in my whole life,” Michelsen said after reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
asserted
Michelsen → beat → quarterfinal
The winner of his match against Tiafoe will face No. 2-seeded Alcaraz or No. 8 Shelton, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday in his best performance of the tournament.
asserted
who → face → tournament
Shelton predicted “fireworks” in the matchup with the two-time champion.
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Shelton → predict → champion
“I think it will be a great match.
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it → think → ?
I’m excited for the battle,” Shelton said.
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Shelton → ’m → battle
“Never played him here in New York, and obviously in the position that I want to be in.”
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I → play → that
All four men’s matches Sunday had a U.S. player in it, and the Americans grabbed three of them.
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Americans → have → them
Only Alcaraz was able to turn back a player from the host country, beating No. 20 seed Tommy Paul in the afternoon.
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Alcaraz → turn → afternoon
The Americans still had a chance to get one more quarterfinalist Monday when No. 14 seed Learner Tien faces Karen Khachanov.
asserted
Tien → have → Khachanov
The closest the Americans came to ending the drought was two years ago at the U.S. Open, when Taylor Fritz beat Tiafoe in the first all-American Grand Slam semifinal since 2005 to become the first American man in a major final since Roddick in 2009.
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Fritz → come → 2009
Jannik Sinner beat Fritz in straight sets for the title.
asserted
Sinner → beat → title
The Americans had eight players in the round of 16 in the 1995 U.S. Open, advancing three to the semifinals.
asserted
Americans → have → semifinals
Pete Sampras beat Jim Courier in the semis and then No. 1 Andre Agassi in the final.
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Sampras → beat → final
The U.S. expected to have multiple men’s title contenders in that era, but some of the men have grown tired now of the annual discussion of the drought.
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some → expect → drought
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff has collected two trophies in recent years and Jessica Pegula has reached No. 3 in the world.
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Pegula → collect → world
“There have been a really consistent chunk of players, Jess, Coco, you know, have been at the top and inside the top five for the last I don’t know how many years,” Taylor Townsend said after losing to women’s No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday.
asserted
Townsend → know → Sunday
“Ben, Frances, Tommy, Taylor, it’s just such a great group of men as well.”
asserted
it → ’ → men
The Aporia
