Frances Tiafoe hits back from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen and reach the last four at the 2026 US Open

Frances Tiafoe came from two sets down to reach his third US Open semi-final courtesy of a rollercoaster win over Alex Michelsen.

The 11th seed broke back as his fellow American served for the match before mounting a sensational comeback that saw the 28-year-old prevail 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 (6) in four hours and 39 minutes.

"It was crazy," said Tiafoe, who consoled a tearful Michelsen at the net following the match.

"It was definitely a Braveheart-type win. It ranks pretty high in probably all-time wins in a Slam. I don't know where, but it ranks pretty high."

A nervy opening saw both players initially struggling to hold serve before Michelsen, 22, found the greater consistency and deservedly broke with a rasping return to take the first stanza in 50 minutes.

The younger American continued to be more solid and pulled clear again in the seventh game before notching up the two-set lead with a raking crosscourt forehand winner.

Michelsen stuck to his game-plan and again took control in the third, but he froze trying to serve the match out and Tiafoe broke back before reeling off the next two games to force a fourth set.

The 11th seed could suddenly do no wrong as he broke again as part of a seven-game winning sequence, which proved key to Big Foe forcing a fifth.  

The momentum shifts continued as Tiafoe showed more defiance to bite back from 3-0 down and take us into a match tie-break.

It was the older American who stood firm throughout as he triumphed 10-6 to move into a semi-final clash with either Carlos Alcaraz or Ben Shelton.

Big Foe delivers a big, big comeback to reach his third US Open semi-final.

The 11th seed is too solid in the match tie-break, pretty much leading throughout and eventually taking it 10-6!

There's a lovely embrace at the net with Michelsen in tears.

Big Foe dumps a backhand into the net to allow Alex to level at 4-4 from 4-2 down.

The world number 46 undoes his good work with a weak backhand into the net under little pressure and Tiafoe continues to look the more likely as he leads 7-5 at the second change of ends.

It's Big Foe who claims the first mini-break with a huge forehand down the line to lead 3-2.

The 11th seed lures an error wrong off the second serve to extend the advantage heading into the first change of ends.

Tiafoe hammers down his ninth ace of the day and glosses over an almighty shank into the New York sky by posting a hold to 15 to force the match-tie break.

This time it’s Alex’s turn to face the pressure.

The world number 46 miscues a volley and then fluffs a forehand to trail 0-30.

Tiafoe is in the next rally but shanks a forehand off the island and a service winner helps the underdog to Pulp (30-30).

A pulsating 19-shot exchange ensues with Michelsen eventually leaning low to guide a soft volley over for a pure winner before a hefty serve guarantees him the minimum of a match tie-break.

Tiafoe is aggressive and proactive with a fizzing forehand down the line but is relieved when Michelsen’s good-looking backhand drops just long.

Big Foe bunts a rash backhand off the island and it’s that same wing that jabs into the net to complicate matters at Pulp (30-30).

The 11th seed picks the perfect time to cannon down his sixth ace, but a superb, deep return prolongs the pressure to deuce.

Frances responds with back-to-back aces to rampage out of danger and tie the set at five apiece.

Frances scorches a crosscourt return to catch Alex out and pose an early question.

Michelsen responds with aces 20 and 21 before a stunning pick-up lob off a re-drop lures the error into the net.

Tiafoe can't respond and tame slice wide means we head into blink and you're out of the tournament territory.

Tiafoe zaps a sublime backhand down the line to open and doesn’t look back as the 11th seed levels via the hold to love.

Michelsen resets nicely as a 19th ace lays the platform for a solid hold to 15.  

All square.

Tiafoe earns some most-welcome cheap points off the first serve to consolidate with a hold to 15.

Michelsen blinks … again.

The 22-year-old volleys tamely into the net at 15-15 and then hands over two break points with a wild inside-in forehand into the alley.

Big Foe hangs tough in the rally on the second opportunity and his opponent buckles with a backhand way long of the baseline.

Michelsen produces a sweet volley on his way to threatening at 15-30.

Big Foe retorts with a pair of beastly forehands and digs out the hold to 30 via one off the backhand to finish.

Michelsen opens with a double fault and a backhand into the net to suggest he may be freezing again here.

The world No.46 lands a couple of huge serves either side of a deep, probing backhand to get back on track and then rifles an inside-in forehand winner to consolidate in style.

Frances can’t afford any sort of dip now, but he does lull with a pair of unforced errors off the forehand giving Alex an opening.

The younger American unloads off his own forehand to tee up triple break point and Big Foe breaks himself to love with another poor forehand.

That’s the perfect start for Michelsen as he romps through a love hold to seize the scoreboard advantage in this deciding set.

We are going the distance.

Tiafoe holds his nerve from 0-15 and ticks off the next four points with some sharp serving to level the match.

Michelsen races through a hold to love and now it's over to Big Foe to try and serve-out and force a fifth.

Tiafoe flashes an ace down the T and does enough with a plus-one forehand to make deuce from 15-40 down.

Michelsen blasts a forehand long to give Frances a breather and the 11th seed moves to within a game of forcing a fifth with a huge service winner.

This has become so tough to call.

Michelsen’s resurgence is checked again as Tiafoe unleashes a flurry of magnificent forehands.

The world number 46 saves one of two break points but crashes a forehand into the net on the second and the pendulum swings the way of Big Foe once more!