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Frances Tiafoe was living his best life in his U.S. Open semifinal, just as he did throughout this magical run at Flushing Meadows, smiling and thriving, yukking it up with the fans, with his opponent, even with his opponent’s coach.
He sprinted to his changeover chair, and the mess of clothes and shoes and rackets that surrounded it, after one big point went his way. After another, he stared at all four corners of a soldout Arthur Ashe Stadium, nodding amid the mayhem. He waved his arms to ask for more support — and got it.
And, other than a real rough patch in the second and third sets, and again at the end, Tiafoe was playing his best tennis, too, keeping alive his hopes of becoming the first American man to reach the final at Flushing Meadows in 16 years and, perhaps, the first to win any Grand Slam title in 19 years. Tiafoe managed to save a match point in the fourth set Friday night, extending the contest for more than another hour, and another two in the fifth, yet could not finish the deal, losing to No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
When it was over, when he ran out of comebacks, Tiafoe, a 24-year-old from Maryland who is ranked 26th, wiped away tears and apologized to the spectators who joined him for this rollicking ride.
