History was made in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night.
It was led by Frances Tiafoe, who is America’s new hero.
He posed a big threat to No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov and overwhelmed the favored player to orchestrate an upset to the semifinals.
3 Frances Tiafoe celebrates after his U.S. Open quarterfinal win over Grigor Dimitrov on Sept. 3, 2024. Larry Marano
With that, for the first time since 2009, the U.S. is guaranteed to have a man in a major final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon.
In what started as a tight match, Tiafoe defeated Dimitrov in four sets 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 4-1 across three hours and four minutes after the Bulgarian was forced to retire with an injury.
While up 4-3 in the third set, Dimitrov noticeably slowed down, occasionally grabbing his left hamstring and walking very gingerly in between points.
He struggled to put up a fight, and two unforced errors gave Tiafoe the set.
3 Grigor Dimitrov had to retire in the third set because of a hamstring injury in his U.S. Open quarterfinal loss to Frances Tiafoe on Sept. 3, 2024. Getty Images
It was something he hoped would pass, but Dimitrov pulled the plug five games into the final set.
With the win, Tiafoe reached his third career grand slam semifinal where he will meet his fellow American Taylor Fritz, who knocked off No. 4 Alexander Zverev earlier in the day, on Friday.
3 Frances Tiafoe hits a backhand during his U.S. Open quarterfinal win on Sept. 3, 2024. Larry Marano
The Tiafoe-Fritz showdown will be the first All-American men’s singles semifinal in a grand slam since Andre Agassi and Robby Ginepri faced one another in Flushing in 2005 with Agassi coming out on top.
“I’ve been playing against him since I was 14. To be able to play him in one of the biggest matches and stages in the world, it’s going to be awesome,” Tiafoe said of playing Fritz.
Frances Tiafoe advances to set up all-American US Open semifinal
