Frances Tiafoe rekindled some of his most impressive tennis last week as he stormed into his maiden Masters 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open.
Although the 26-year-old was halted by the world number one, Jannik Sinner, his stellar campaign in Ohio hints at the potential for another deep run at Flushing Meadows.
Tiafoe captured the hearts of Americans in 2022 when he produced a breathtaking run to the semi-finals of the US Open before being agonizingly beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller.
In a bid to emulate this form, Tiafoe opted to skip the Olympics this year to focus his efforts on the lead-up to New York.
Does Frances Tiafoe regret skipping the Olympics?
Frances Tiafoe faced some controversy with his decision but found some support from former US Open champion Andy Roddick, who claimed it was a smart move.
Given that clay is his least favorite surface, the transition was particularly challenging.
Yet, after reaching his first ATP 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open and appearing ready for a deep run in New York – did his decision pay off?
When asked this question by a journalist, Tiafoe could only respond with a wide grin.
“I think absolutely [it paid off],” Tiafoe said in his post-match press conference. “If I can go and make a final of a Masters series and get my ranking back.
“I’m back in the top 20 or something. So, I will take that every day.
“It sucked being outside of the top 20, I have been outside of the top 20 for a couple of years now. That’s a great sign.
“Now I can keep going and pushing and get back to where I need to be at the top of the game. I think I am one of the best players in the world but I definitely wasn’t playing like that for a lot of years, so I’m happy I am now.”
Is Tiafoe one of the best players in the world?
It’s safe to say that playing on home soil brings out something different in Tiafoe.
Just as Andy Murray did on Centre Court, Tiafoe tends to come alive on Arthur Ashe, but it’s not just on his native American hard courts that he tends to excel.
Tiafoe has begun to forge a remarkable rivalry with Alcaraz, with their most recent meeting coming at Wimbledon this year – another five-set epic that felt as if it was the American’s to lose.
Despite the gut-wrenching defeat, the 26-year-old has proven to be more than capable on multiple surfaces.
Having reached a career-high of number 10 last year, Tiafoe is just getting started.
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