New York, Sep 12 (IANS) World No.12 Frances Tiafoe said that he hopes his US Open dream will be completed ‘one day’ after he fell short in New York in another business end of the tournament.
Tiafoe was leading by a set against his 2026 semifinal opponent Ben Shelton, another American, before the eighth seed found an extra gear in the second and third sets and continued his touch in the fourth set to take the win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in front of a celebrity-packed crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Speaking after the loss, Tiafoe said he hopes to win the US Open title one day, emphasising the love he receives from the crowd in New York. “I just want to win it, man. I mean, the love is incredible, man. It’s something that definitely gives me tears in my eyes from the kid who started how I did,” Tiafoe told the media after his loss.
“The love I have here is crazy. Every match I play, from everyone, all the staff, the security guards, everyone really wants to see me do the thing. Friends, family, my team, it’s like a lot of great energy.
“The hotel I’m at, they’re geeked out to see me every year. I feel good. I feel really good being here in New York. Obviously, hence why I’ve always been on the business end of it. But, you know, hopefully one day we’ll do it.
Tiafoe has made it to at least the fourth round at the Flushing Meadows in six out of the last seven seasons. He lost in the semifinals to fellow American Taylor Fritz in 2024 and to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the 2022 semifinal.
The home US Open has been Tiafoe’s most successful Major, as all of his three semifinals have been in New York. He has been a quarterfinalist at the French Open and Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Shelton is ready for the US Open final against Zverev as he hopes to become the first American man in 26 years to win a Grand Slam after Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open.
“I think that I’m fully ready for the challenge to problem-solve. And, yeah, I feel that I’m a different player. I feel I have so many more tools,” Shelton said.
“I feel like I know my identity. I’m comfortable in my own skin. I know what it takes for me to be playing top-level tennis. Not that I’m going to come out every day and everything’s going to be perfect and clicking. But I think that’s why our sport is so difficult and the beauty of our sport. And so, yeah, I’m looking forward to the challenge, being able to problem-solve on Sunday.
“I know what I’m up against. And I’m also the most confident I’ve ever been in my game,” he added.
–IANS
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