Frances Joins Shelton in Historic All-American U.S. Open Semifinal
PUBLISHED Sep 9, 2026, 10:34 AM ET
American tennis player Frances Tiafoe completed a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen four sets to one in the men's quarterfinals at the U.S. Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Michelsen capitalized on early unforced errors and precise baseline play to take the first two sets before Tiafoe saved a crucial break point in the third set and won the subsequent tiebreak. Fatigue heavily impacted Michelsen in the final two frames as Tiafoe controlled the pace with aggressive net play and eighteen aces, securing his second career semifinal appearance at his home Grand Slam tournament. The victory sets up an all-American semifinal matchup against Ben Shelton, guaranteeing that an American male player will compete in the singles championship match for the first time since Andy Roddick reached the final in 2006.
By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News
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Left: Emphasizes diversity achievements and inspirational athlete personal background narratives. Center: Focuses strictly on match statistics, scores, and tournament history facts. Right: Highlights American competitive dominance, individual perseverance, and national sports pride.
Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen at the U.S. Open on September 5 2026. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/41123456/frances-tiafoe-alex-michelsen-us-open-quarterfinal
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Frances Tiafoe Beats Alex Michelsen for All American Semifinal
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Tiafoe beats Michelsen to set up all American US Open semi
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An All-American U.S. Open Semifinal Is Set as Tiafoe Triumphs
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