Frances Tiafoe continued the strong showing by American men at the U.S. Open, securing a decisive third-round victory against Valentin Vacherot with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The 11th-seeded Tiafoe appeared in complete control throughout the match, held serve without facing a break point, and completed the contest in under two hours to advance to the Round of 16.
"Friday night at the U.S. Open. Pretty easy to be locked-in those type of days," Tiafoe said following the match. "Let’s keep this thing going; why not?"
The crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium showed strong support for the fan favorite, with signs reading "Big Foe Show" and notable attendees in the stands. Tiafoe acknowledged the support, stating, "It’s just so much love. I appreciate them taking time, coming out. See you back on Sunday."
With this win, Tiafoe improved his record on Armstrong Stadium to 6-0. His next challenge will be a match against No. 7 seed Daniil Medvedev for a spot in the quarterfinals. Tiafoe has a history of six losses in seven meetings with Medvedev.
Tiafoe's performance contributed to a remarkable 30-2 record for seeded Americans at this year's U.S. Open. This success comes amid a 23-year drought for American men winning a Grand Slam title, dating back to 2003. The draw has opened up with the early exits of top players like World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Felix Auger-Aliassime, creating a perceived opportunity for the remaining American contingent.
Beyond Tiafoe, other American players have also achieved notable results. Alex Michelsen advanced to the fourth round after defeating Daniel Merida 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-3 and is set to play No. 27 seed Tomás Martin Etcheverry. Tommy Paul is scheduled to face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the Round of 16. Several other Americans, including Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien, and wild card Michael Zheng, were still competing in the Round of 32, with Shelton slated to play Denis Shapovalov for a spot against Stefanos Tsitsipas.