Frances Tiafoe was rampant against Alexei Popyrin, showing no signs of fatigue after his five-set thriller against Ben Shelton.
The American is thriving in his home country at the moment, having seemingly dispelled all the struggles of a previously tough 2024.
Now arguably enjoying the form of his life, it could well culminate in the US Open title, should he maintain this mesmeric run.
And now, he has arguably been given the biggest endorsement any American can receive.
Frances Tiafoe reveals Serena Williams conversation
Speaking after dispatching the in-form Popyrin, Frances Tiafoe was brimming with energy, having set up a quarter-final clash with Grigor Dimitrov.
However, when quizzed on-court by the interviewer, focus turned to a special face spotted around the US Open in recent days: Serena Williams.
He asked: ‘We saw on television you caught up with Serena before the match. I’m just wondering what it’s like having her around now. We saw her saying she’s excited to be a fan around the tour. What was that like?’
Tiafoe replied: ‘It’s crazy seeing her not playing. It’s still wild. But I mean, you know, for her wanting to come out and talk to me before the match, telling me she’s always following no matter what, telling me ‘It’s so good to see now that I’m done, you’re the guy of colour playing and doing well.’ I’m, like, coming from her, that’s a loud sentence. I’m, like, damn. That’s really, really cool that she sees me as that.
‘Her telling me she just wants nothing but the best for me, giving me some game right before the match, how are you feeling, where you at? It’s so funny her asking me that. I’m like nervous to respond. She’s not someone you’re going to bulls*** and say, like… She’s not trying to hear that.
‘Yeah, I was just like – you know, it’s between us.
‘Whatever, our conversation is between us, but it was really cool to have her want to talk to me before a match and really say she wants me to do this thing and that I’m capable of doing it.
’It coming from her, I mean, it’s just so loud. I don’t think it will hit me like that if anybody else said it to me.’
It seems Tiafoe was not alone in receiving praise and advice from the 42-year-old, with Serena Williams giving Grigor Dimitrov a pep talk too before his clash with Andrey Rublev.
Frances Tiafoe is three wins from US Open glory
Having overcome some real adversity to reach this stage in New York, he is now so close to glory.
And, he will be buoyed by the knowledge that both Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are already out, with Jannik Sinner now the standout favourite.
However, having battled well with the Italian in Cincinnati, and now backed by a raucous home crowd, there is cause for optimism that Tiafoe could go all the way.
He first has to bypass the finesse of Dimitrov, before one of the big-serving Taylor Fritz or Alexander Zverev awaits.
Then, it’s expected that Sinner will be waiting.
All he needs is three back-to-back all-time performances, and his spot in the history books will be cemented.
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