After a sensational first set, the Frances Tiafoe Express derailed Friday night at the U.S. Open, but not before the young American did himself proud.
Tiafoe even got to meet Michelle Obama in the bowels of Arthur Ashe Stadium after he forced a fifth set against Carlos Alcaraz in a monumental semifinal.
But Alcaraz, the 19-year-old Spanish marathon man, ended Tiafoe’s run with a spectacular rally to move to his first U.S. Open final with a 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 victory in a four-hour-plus slugfest that didn’t end until midnight.
Alcaraz looked fresh as a daisy after losing a first-set tiebreaker. He used his breathtaking speed, drop shots and full arsenal of angled groundstrokes to wear down Tiafoe, who looked up to the challenge early before sputtering, though he rose up to force a fourth-set tiebreaker with exceptional grit and then pushed it to a fifth set that sent Ashe Stadium ablaze.
“I gave everything I had,’’ Tiafoe said in the on-court interview. “I gave everything I had the last two weeks. I wanted to win the U.S. Open. I felt I let everyone down. Kudos to Carlos. You’re going to win a lot of Grand Slams. I will come back and win this thing one day.”
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It felt like a celebration in the wee hours as Tiafoe gathered with family and friends in the players’ lounge. The former First Lady was shuttled into a private room to meet with Tiafoe, the first black man to make the Open semifinals since Arthur Ashe himself in 1972.
“It was so electric,’’ Tiafoe said. “The tennis definitely matched the hype of the match. Unbelievable shot-making, gets, extending points, crazy shots at crazy times. Yeah, I was getting riled up.’’
Obama also took photos with Tiafoe’s family members, including his mother, Kamara, who emigrated from Sierra Leone to the Washington metropolitan area and managed to cultivate a professional tennis player who has finally become a big star.
The former First Lady could be seen during the fourth-set tiebreaker out of her seat and cheering like everyone else.
“It was very nice she came to support,’’ Kamara Tiafoe told The Post. “This is a beautiful and happy time in our life. We will always remember it.’’
Tiafoe said he saw Obama in the stands during the fourth game of the first set.
“I [saw] her. I think I shanked a return,’’ Tiafoe said. “Seeing her there was crazy. Crazy getting to meet her after.’’
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Tiafoe’s deep run and fourth-set revival offered hope the 24-year-old can be a factor in Grand Slam tournaments for years to come after a somewhat disappointing career that began at Flushing Meadows when he was 16.
This Tiafoe-Alcaraz match could be the start of a long rivalry that could go deep in majors.
“I proved I can play with the best and can win Grand Slams,’’ Tiafoe said.
For a while, the two warriors, Tiafoe and Alcaraz, went toe-to-toe, trading their power and displaying their speed in a breathtaking spectacle. Tiafoe is fast. Alcaraz is faster.
Dubbed “The Next Nadal,’’ Alcaraz now will face Norwegian Casper Ruud in the Open final on Sunday. It remains to be seen if Alcaraz has anything left.
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Alcaraz has now survived three straight five-setters, including a 5 hour, 15 minute war that ended at 2:50 on Thursday morning. But he somehow has responded with fresh legs each time.
With fans chanting “Let’s go Frances,” Tiafoe got a second wind when all looked hopeless. Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set, he saved a match point with a sensational get of an Alcaraz drop shot. He spun it in for a winner that died two feet past the net, sending the fans into a frenzy.
And then Tiafoe forced a fourth-set tiebreaker, took a 3-1 lead and repelled an Alcaraz rally to 4-4 after the Spaniard hit a wondrous dropshot to tie. Tiafoe fought back with his nerves of steel while Alcaraz drilled two bullet forehand shots that barely missed to force a fifth set.
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Tiafoe, the first American man in the Open semis since Andy Roddick in 2006, couldn’t get his first serve in often enough in the fifth set and Alcaraz held on.
Tiafoe’s ride drew celebrities beyond Obama. Jon Bon Jovi, Jamie Fox and Martina Navratilova were on hand. Wizards star Bradley Beal sat in Tiafoe’s box and Nets guard Ben Simmons, Rudy Gay and Larry Fitzgerald rooted on the American.
Alcaraz had his support, but the crowd was in the American’s favor.
“We have to fight until the last ball,’’ Alcaraz said. “We’re fighting for five hours. Frances gave everything on court. It was amazing.’’
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Tiafoe played a brilliant 64-minute first set with the two young speedsters advancing into a tiebreaker. Alcaraz fought off four set points after falling behind 6-3, but Tiafoe ultimately prevailed. Throughout the match, the two players smiled after a handful of the scintillating points during which they got to impossible balls.
At 7-6, his nerves finally froze Alcaraz, who double-faulted to give Tiafoe a 7-0 mark in tiebreaks during the tournament, which tied an Open record. Then Tiafoe broke that record in the fourth set when he improved to 8-0 in tiebreaks.
In the second set, at 1-1, Alcaraz fought off a break point, then closed out the game in magnificent fashion.
Tiafoe got to a drop shot and sent it down the line. Somehow, the Spaniard raced back and hit it back on the fly near the baseline with his backhand. Alcaraz eventually won the point, after which Tiafoe hopped over the net as if he were going to hug Alcaraz in admiration.
In Ruud, Alcaraz will be facing the 2022 French Open finalist, who is humble enough to realize he may never do anything as big again.
The fifth-seeded Norwegian exhibited his heavy topspin forehand and advanced to the final with a 7-6, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Russian Karen Khachanov.
“I’m so happy,’’ Ruud said. “After Roland Garros, I was extremely happy but humble enough that it could be my only final at a Grand Slam in my career. And here I am back a couple of months later.’’
