The 2024 US Open looks very different to most recent Grand Slams and Frances Tiafoe is enjoying every minute of it. No American has won a major title in 21 years, but Tiafoe believes this tournament is a sign that things could soon change.
“This is the group,” he said after reaching the semi-finals. “We talk about it openly. I think we all knocked on doors.”
This is Tiafoe's second US Open semifinal in three years. He faces Taylor Fritz on FridayThis will be the first time two Americans have met in a major semifinal since Robby Ginepri and Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.
Fritz had never made it past the quarterfinals before, but he entered this tournament as the highest-seeded American at No. 12. Tiafoe, meanwhile, entered as number 20 and had plenty of momentum after reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati a month earlier.
They are the only ones left, but there were other American men who seemed capable of making a deep run as well. No. 13 Ben Shelton gave Tiafoe an intense five-set battle in the third round, while No. 14 Tommy Paul forced two tiebreaks against No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the round of 16.
Regardless of the outcome of Friday's match, either Tiafoe or Fritz will become the first American to reach a major final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.
“Taylor was consistently in the top 10 and top 15. I myself was in the top 10 this time last year,” Tiafoe said. “And Tommy’s knocking on the door, the Quarters are playing great. Ben has arrived. It's just a matter of time. You get into positions, it's just a matter of time. The game is open. It's no longer as if you've made it once.” In the quarter-finals you play against Rafa [Nadal]and you are looking for flights.
Tiafoe is not wrong. This calendar year will be the first time since 2002 that none of tennis' Big 3 – Rafael Nadal, Rodger Federer and Novak Djokovic – win a Grand Slam. Djokovic, who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was upset by Alexei Popyrin in the third round.
While it's obviously a huge achievement to make it this far, overall victory is still the bugbear on the pitch. No American has won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. The former world number 1 himself will cheer on whoever makes it to the title fight.
“I would love nothing more than for an American to win on Sunday,” he said during serve Andy Roddick podcast. “That would just fill me up. It doesn't relieve me. I hate it.”
“I have this anxious feeling every time they have to answer for it. I hate it for her. I want them to have it. I want them to be clear. And honestly, if one of them breaks this.” They could all start fighting regularly and then they don't have to play against ghosts, we'll see.
