Frances Tiafoe Ends Medvedev Hoodoo, Sets Up All-American US Open Quarterfinal Clash With Alex Michelsen

Frances Tiafoe is once again a US Open quarterfinalist, and this time he did it by finally solving one of his toughest puzzles. The 11th-seeded American outlasted seventh-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-6(1), 6-4, 7-6(6) in a nearly three-hour battle at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Sunday, extending his perfect career record on that court and setting up an all-American showdown in the last eight.

Tiafoe, a two-time US Open semifinalist chasing his first career major title, had won just one of his previous seven meetings with Medvedev, the 2021 champion at Flushing Meadows. The 2026 edition marked Tiafoe’s fourth trip to the quarterfinals in the last five years at his home Slam, following runs to the semifinals in 2022 and 2024 and a quarterfinal appearance in 2023. Bettors tracking the tournament have leaned heavily on prediction markets to gauge how the American contenders stack up as the draw thins out.

Tiafoe Ends His Medvedev Hoodoo on the People’s Court

Medvedev entered the fourth-round clash having not dropped a single set through his first three matches of the tournament, playing some of his most efficient tennis of the year. Tiafoe erased that momentum almost immediately, grinding out a first-set tiebreak 7-1 before pulling away in the second set 6-4. Medvedev pushed the match to a third-set tiebreak, but Tiafoe closed it out 8-6 to seal the win in two hours and 57 minutes.

The victory extended Tiafoe’s record at Louis Armstrong Stadium to a perfect 10-0, a mark he has built across multiple US Open runs and one he has embraced as a point of pride, referring to the venue as the “people’s court” in the aftermath of the win. The 28-year-old also padded his tour-leading total of hard-court wins this season to 25, a number that underscores just how dangerous he has been on the surface throughout 2026.

An All-American Quarterfinal Awaits

Tiafoe’s reward for toppling Medvedev is a matchup with fellow American Alex Michelsen, who has yet to drop a set through four rounds in New York. The 22-year-old advanced by defeating No. 27 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4, continuing a breakout tournament that has him playing with house money against a more experienced compatriot.

The pairing guarantees at least one American will reach the semifinals of the US Open, a storyline that has energized the home crowds at Flushing Meadows all fortnight. For Tiafoe, the matchup represents a chance to build on the deep, crowd-fueled runs that have defined his last several appearances at the tournament, while Michelsen will look to prove his surge through the draw is no fluke against a player who has thrived in exactly these moments before. As the sportsbooks adjust their boards for the next round, plenty of bettors will be watching how the odds shift for a first-time major quarterfinalist facing a two-time semifinalist with home-court energy on his side.