ATP Tour

Michelsen & Tiafoe share most emotional moment of the US Open

Frances Tiafoe’s four-hour, 39-minute five-set victory against Alex Michelsen in the US Open quarter-finals was a thriller. But perhaps what fans will remember the most was what happened immediately after the final ball was struck.

Instead of enjoying a prolonged celebration, Tiafoe jogged to the net to embrace Michelsen, who was competing in his first major quarter-final.

“As soon as I hugged him, I’d seen he was crying already and I was like, ‘Man, I know. I’ve been there’. I’ve been there twice to be fair. Lost in five,” Tiafoe said on ESPN. “He’s young and he hasn’t been there. And we’re super tight. We’ve always had a great relationship. We laugh and joke all the time, he’s one of my good buddies on Tour. And I know how much that hurts. I know how much he wanted it today. It’s something that you dream about.”

Michelsen was understandably devastated in the moment. The 22-year-old grew emotional as the pair hugged.

“I wasn't saying much. I was trying to keep it together, and I didn't do a good job of that. He was saying a lot of nice personal things,” Michelsen said. “You'll be there. When I'm older, you're going to be here, and we're going it play again in this type of circumstance. All that good stuff. He's a great guy for consoling me in that moment.”

The No. 33 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, who served for the match in the third set, explained that nobody other than Tiafoe could have made him cry in that moment except for his close friend, Learner Tien.

“But Frances, he's such a good guy, and he said a lot of personal things and just kind of got to me,” Michelsen said. “Then, yeah, I mean, it took me a few minutes. But it's normal after a match like that, emotions like that. It takes a little bit of time to get back down to earth, but I'm here talking to you now, so I did okay.”

This was the best tournament of Michelsen’s career. The home favourite did not lose a set en route to the last eight and came within two points of making the semi-finals. What were his thoughts after the defeat he suffered inside Arthur Ashe Stadium?

“Nothing good. It's a tough match, but I fought as hard as I could, and it just didn't go my way today. Got a little tight at 5-4 in the third,” Michelsen said. “At the end of the day, made my first quarter-final of a Slam. Lost to, like I said in my other press conference, someone that is probably a Top-5 player here in Frances. Trying to keep my head high, and yeah, on to the next one.”