Tiafoe falls short of US Open final match once again

Big Foe made another big run at the US Open but again could not break through to his first Grand Slam final.

Frances Tiafoe got knocked out in the semi-finals on Friday night by fellow American Ben Shelton. This was his third trip to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows in five years, after getting this far in 2022 and 2024.

“It’s hard,” Tiafoe said after losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. “As you look at it, obviously I’ve been in this position a lot now — thankfully, but also it’s tough. I wanted to be in a Grand Slam final. Obviously it was a big match.”

Frances Tiafoe plays Ben Shelton during the US Open in New York City yesterday.

Photo: AFP

Tiafoe won the first set Friday night to the delight of a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium but could not overcome 20 aces from his hard-serving opponent.

“[Tiafoe is] like a big brother to me,” Shelton said. “To be honest, every time that we get to take this court together, Arthur Ashe, and play each other is super special. This is where we want to be: at the tail end of this tournament.”

The 28-year-old Tiafoe, a DC area local and a fan favorite for his personality and exciting style of play, got a standing ovation from the crowd leaving the court after the four-set defeat.

“I just want to win it,” Tiafoe said. “The love is incredible, man. It’s something that gives me definitely tears in my eyes from a kid starting how I did, and 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.”

Tiafoe improved drastically from his performance at the US Open a year ago, when he lost to Jan-Lennard Struff in the round of 32. He was feeling “really, really bad” about himself at that time.

This time, he beat Daniil Medvedev and came back from down two sets against Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinals, but falling short left him with a familiar, empty feeling.

“These last couple weeks have been great weeks, but I haven’t been able to finish,” Tiafoe said. “And that’s probably going to be the next thing for me.”