American tennis player Frances Tiafoe, who previously reached the semifinals of the US Open, made a notable progression in the tournament by defeating Australian Alexei Popyrin, seeded 28th, with a score of 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 in just over three hours. With this victory, Tiafoe advances to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year, receiving strong support from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After his victory, Tiafoe expressed his childhood dreams of playing on this iconic court, named after Arthur Ashe. He shared his admiration for tennis greats like the Williams sisters and Roger Federer, stating that playing in such an environment enhances his game. Tiafoe also took a moment during the on-court interview to acknowledge actor Tony Goldwyn in the audience, expressing his fandom.
Looking ahead, Tiafoe is set to face Bulgaria’s No. 9 seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. Dimitrov, who is 33 years old and the oldest player left in the tournament, reached this stage by defeating No. 6 seed Andrey Rublev in a challenging five-set match lasting nearly four hours. Dimitrov holds a 3-1 career record against Tiafoe.
In their match, Popyrin showed respect for Tiafoe’s performance and acknowledged the high level of play from both players. Tiafoe lauded Popyrin for his earlier victory over Novak Djokovic, highlighting his strong performance.
Additionally, fellow American Taylor Fritz also made it to the quarterfinals, overcoming No. 8 Casper Ruud after dropping the first set. Fritz reflected on his growth in the tournament, stating he is eager for more than just reaching the quarterfinals. His next opponent will be No. 4 seed Alex Zverev, who recently won against unseeded American Brandon Nakashima.
Another American, No. 14 seed Tommy Paul, is scheduled to compete against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.