Frances Tiafoe is putting together an exciting run in Cincinnati, with hopes for a homegrown US Open winner mounting.
Frances Tiafoe registered his 200th career win after a Hubert Hurkacz retirement handed him entry into his second Masters semi-final.
The first American man since John Isner in 2017 to reach this stage in Cincinnati, Tiafoe has played his usual enterprising, powerful tennis in the blustery midwestern conditions.
Defeating Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti on his way to the semi-finals has come just a week after Tiafoe secured his first top 10 win of 2024 after coming past Andrey Rublev in Washington.
With Holger Rune to play for a spot in the final against either Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev, Tiafoe has been advised by one of his compatriots on how he might beat the young Dane.
Michael Mmoh tasks Frances Tiafoe with playing front-foot tennis against Holger Rune
With a career-high of 81 and no progression in the majors beyond the third round, one might reasonably ask why Michael Mmoh has all the answers for Tiafoe.
Rather helpfully, Mmoh has played Rune twice this year and despite losing on both occasions, seems to have take away some tips that Tiafoe can perhaps use more successfully.
“I think he needs to play aggressive tennis,” the American said. “That’s something he is very comfortable doing, something that him and David Witt (Tiafoe’s current coach) have talked about in lengthy exchanges.
“He needs to come into the net, he needs to hit his volleys well and he needs to serve well. That’s something he knows is an important part of his game, that’s something he will do and I think he will get the W as well.”
With optimism always high in the US camp, Tiafoe may take a boost from Rune’s confusing coaching changes that have distracted from his tennis so far in 2024.
Despite the Dane having settled down recently and returned from a wrist injury, this is there for the taking for Tiafoe and would mark his first visit to a Masters 1000 final.
Will Frances Tiafoe end America’s male grand slam winner drought?
It’s been over 20 years since an American man won a grand slam.
Despite recent glimmers that US men’s tennis is returning to its former self, Andy Roddick has been retired for over a decade and established a successful podcast before another American player has gone the distance at a major.
The top 30 is currently home to five American men, with two more within the top 50.
However, none of them have seriously challenged at the majors, with Ben Shelton’s run to the semi-finals in New York last year the closest the current contingent have really come.
Tiafoe has skirted around the top 20 for several years and not managed to take the next step despite his obvious ability and huge ball-striking.
While his ranking might suggest otherwise, grand slam tennis can be a lot about form, and with Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner not at their best, and Novak Djokovic playing no US Open warm-up events, now will be the time to strike.
Can he go the distance? No is probably the short answer, but there is still opportunity here to boost his ranking and perhaps make some history.
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