Frances Tiafoe secured a dramatic spot in the US Open semi-finals after overcoming a major deficit against compatriot Alex Michelsen in a grueling five-set encounter at Flushing Meadows. The 28-year-old eleventh seed triumphed 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 in a tie-break that lasted four hours and thirty-eight minutes.

For the opening half of the contest, Michelsen controlled the tempo and pushed his higher-ranked opponent to the brink. The unseeded 22-year-old carried strong momentum into the quarter-final, having advanced through the previous rounds without dropping a single set. He used precise backhand strokes and aggressive baseline play to claim the first two sets, leaving the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium stunned.

The turning point arrived in the third set when Michelsen held a 5-3 advantage and stepped up to serve for the match. Unforced errors and crucial double faults crept into his game, allowing Tiafoe to break back and shift the competitive balance. Capitalizing on the sudden opening, Tiafoe reeled off consecutive games to capture the third set and quickly established an early lead in the fourth.

As the physical contest stretched into a deciding fifth set, both players exchanged service breaks amid an electric atmosphere. Tiafoe leaned heavily on the vocal support of the New York spectators, relying on his experience in high-stakes matches to navigate the tense final stages. He ultimately dominated the decisive ten-point tie-break to secure his fourth five-set victory at a major tournament this year.

Following the final point, a visibly emotional Michelsen was in tears as the two friends met at the net. Tiafoe offered a long embrace and words of encouragement to the younger American, who was appearing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final. Michelsen later expressed gratitude for the gesture, noting that the personal remarks helped ease the disappointment of the narrow defeat.

With the victory, Tiafoe advances to his third US Open semi-final in five seasons. He will next face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or compatriot Ben Shelton as he continues his pursuit of a maiden appearance in the Flushing Meadows final.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.