Tiafoe ousts Djokovic-conqueror Popyrin to achieve US Open QFs | ATP Tour

Match Report

Tiafoe ousts Djokovic-conqueror Popyrin to achieve US Open QFs

American faces Dimitrov subsequent

September 02, 2024

Frances Tiafoe rising to the event on the US Open has turn into an annual custom. The ultimate main of the 2024 season has confirmed no completely different.

The twentieth seed superior to the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows for a 3rd consecutive 12 months on Sunday night when he defeated twenty eighth seed Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 in three hours and two minutes. The house favorite will play ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov within the final eight.

“I all the time dreamt about taking part in on this court docket [since I was] a child. I used to hit towards the wall and needed to compete on this court docket,” Tiafoe mentioned in his on-court interview. “Seeing the Williams sisters win titles right here, seeing Roger win right here 1,000,000 occasions, I used to be like ‘I simply need to play on this court docket’. It is so iconic, clearly named after Arthur Ashe, so I needed to be part of that. I feel it brings out the most effective of me.” 

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Tiafoe arrived in Cincinnati with a 19-18 tour-level document this season. Since then he has gained 9 of 10 matches, together with a run to his first ATP Masters 1000 last in Ohio and now his fourth main quarter-final.

The match was quite a bit nearer than the scoreline signifies. Popyrin, who shocked 24-time main champion Novak Djokovic within the third spherical, led the second set 5-2 and earned three set factors on serve at 5-3, 40/0 earlier than his second serve let him down within the ensuing tie-break. He hit eight double faults within the match.

“He was serving 5-3, 40/0. I used to be like, ‘Nicely I am fairly sweaty, I am sweating by means of my footwear. I am about to go and alter and attempt to win this factor in 4’,” Tiafoe mentioned. “I gained a degree, gained one other level. I used to be like, ‘Ooh’. He gave me one. I used to be like, ‘Do not let me get two’. After which I used to be like, ‘Do not let me get three’. After which I used to be like, ‘I’d as nicely break now’. I acquired fairly fortunate there, actually.”

The Australian, who claimed his maiden Masters 1000 title in Montreal, battled again within the third set to maintain the match alive. However Tiafoe performed clear tennis all through — making simply 17 unforced errors — to shrink his opponent’s margin for error.

Tiafoe loves the highlight and he as soon as once more used the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd to assist push previous a difficult opponent, whom he had by no means beforehand confronted in a match. Early within the second-set tie-break, the 2022 semi-finalist hit a forehand passing shot and instantly pointed to the followers like a showman.

Popyrin, who was competing within the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time, double-faulted to lose serve within the fourth set. He had an amazing have a look at a forehand passing shot contained in the court docket to get again on serve when Tiafoe served for the match, however missed into the online.

Tiafoe’s subsequent opponent, Dimitov, eradicated sixth seed Andrey Rublev earlier within the day. The Bulgarian leads Tiafoe 3-1 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection, however they’ve performed simply as soon as since 2019.

“Clearly he is so gifted. He is been probably the most gifted gamers for a really, very very long time,” Tiafoe mentioned. “He is taking part in nice within the later levels of his profession and he is beginning to discover nice kind once more. So it will be actually, actually robust. He can hit all of the pictures. I will make him struggle for it and earn it and I am positive he’s, too. I hope you guys are with me there as nicely.”