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If an American male tennis player was on the verge of making history in 2024, one would probably throw out a couple names before mentioning Frances Tiafoe. Yes, the 26-year-old was just one set away from reaching the 2022 US Open Final, but he seemed far removed from his peak entering the Cincinnati Masters last month.
Tiafoe failed to advance past the third round in any of the first three Grand Slams this year. His ranking dipped, while his countrymen remained steady. He started to return to form in the summer, though. The rejuvenation reached its pinnacle on Tuesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, as Tiafoe defeated No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov in the U.S. Open quarterfinals (6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 4-1).
He maintained his composure in pivotal points of the match and managed to survive, just as he has done throughout the tournament. Dimitrov put forth a valiant effort but experienced left hamstring tightness late in the third set. He retired in the fourth due to injury, ending a hard-fought battle on a sour note.
It was a surreal moment nonetheless for the match's victor, who savored the electric atmosphere in Flushing, New York. Star power emanated from various spots in the stadium, with a couple prominent figures in particular catching Tiafoe's eye. Tennis legend Roger Federer showed up for the quarterfinal clash, and he made quite the impression on the No. 20 seed.
“The way he looked in the suite was the same way he looked when he was playing,” Frances Tiafoe said of the 20-time Grand Slam winner, per The Tennis Letter. “No sweating. T shirts ironed perfect, hair perfect. What’s up with this dude, man?”
Frances Tiafoe on Roger Federer watching his match against Grigor Dimitrov at US Open
“The way he looked in the suite was the same way he looked when he was playing. No sweating. T shirts ironed perfect, hair perfect. What’s up with this dude, man? 😂
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 4, 2024
Frances Tiafoe hopes to exude the Federer cool factor in semis
While their paths did not intersect often on tour, Tiafoe and Federer do share some special history. The Hyattsville, Maryland native teamed with retired tennis player and current pickleball star Jack Sock and defeated Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Laver Cup in 2022. It was the Swiss icon's final professional match.
Partaking in such a goose-bump inducing occasion has possibly helped prepare Frances Tiafoe for a monumental US Open semifinals showdown on Friday. He will battle friend Taylor Fritz for the right to be the first American man in a major final since Andy Roddick faced and lost to Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon Final.
Tiafoe is expected to be the underdog, but if he can continue to display the conditioning and resilience he has so far, then he could be in line for a life-changing experience. And to think, none of this looked doable just a month ago.
Frances Tiafoe will need to feed off the energy at the US Open
The animated athlete's decision to skip the Paris Olympics and focus on honing his game has paid huge dividends. He reached the finals in Cincy, falling to No. 1 Jannik Sinner, and carried his momentum into the US Open. He avenged a 2023 loss to Ben Shelton by gutting out a superb five-set win over the former national champion in the third round last week. If Tiafoe is going to build off another memorable run in Queens, he might need to prevail in another war of attrition.
His mobility figures to be the X-factor versus Fritz, who is the superior server and overall better player in 2024. He can dictate the pace of the action and move his opponent all over the court until the match becomes about durability. Though, as one can easily tell, having style is important to Frances Tiafoe.
He aims to display the effortless swagger that Roger Federer exuded on Tuesday. But this talent's personality cannot be compared to another. Win or lose on Friday, he is going to leave a unique mark at the US Open.
