Tiafoe is the first American in 16 years to reach the semi-finals of the US Open
Andrei Rublev, 24, once again failed to get past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam.
In the third set against Frances Tiafoe, emotions prevailed when the Russian buried her face in the towel as she cried.
– That must be heartbreaking for him, says Barbara Schitt at Eurosport.
It’s clearly a different kind of Grand Slam tournament taking place at the giant tennis precinct at Flushing Meadows in the Queens borough outside of New York.
On the men’s side, Norway’s Casper Ruud and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz have already reached the semi-finals.
Late Wednesday evening, Sweden time, American Frances Tiafoe joined the crowd.
The first in 16 years
The 26-year-old defeated world number one Andrei Rublev in straight sets, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4, inside Arthur Ashe’s Boiled Court. In doing so, he became the first American in 16 years on the men’s team, Andy Roddick in 2006, to reach the semi-finals of the US Open.
– That’s crazy, he’s sick. This is the biggest win of my career. I feel at home in this arena. “You always support me and I want to give my all,” Tiafoe said in his award speech.
bury the face
For the Russians it was even heavier. After reaching the Grand Slam quarter-finals in his sixth career, he once again failed to get past this stage.
Rublev behaved angry and frustrated for extended periods during the match.
When he was broken in the third set, to 4-3 Tiafoe, emotions overflowed.
While turning the page, he buried his crying face in the towel. Once the Russian was out on the field again, he could not gather himself, and thus Tiafoe was comfortably able to keep his serve and regain victory.
– This must be heartbreaking for him. He has reached the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam six times and has yet to get past that stage. In the third set, his eyes were watery on the field. You can see the frustration on his face. Barbara Schitt of Eurosport says he couldn’t handle it.