NEW YORK (AP) — Frances Tiafoe knew Alex Michelsen needed a shoulder to cry on.
So after handing his fellow American a crushing defeat in the U.S. Open quarterfinals Tuesday, Tiafoe held Michelsen in a long embrace while the 22-year-old sobbed into his shoulder.
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Frances Tiafoe, left, of the United States, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) CORRECTION: Corrects Tiafoe to left, not right.
Frances Tiafoe, left, of the United States, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) CORRECTION: Corrects Tiafoe to left, not right.
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“I really like Alex. I really, really do, and I just wanted to come up there and just dap him up,” Tiafoe said. “I didn’t think it was going to be as long as it was, but I understand the moment. He was definitely crying on my shoulders. Yeah, we just had some words for each other, and that was it.”
Michelsen was playing in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal and was just a few points from winning it after taking the first two sets. The No. 11-seeded Tiafoe came back to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6), starting his turnaround after Michelsen failed to serve out the match with a 5-4 lead in the third set.
Michelsen said he didn't speak much when they met at the net.
“I was trying to keep it together and I didn’t do a good job of that,” Michelsen said. “He was saying a lot of nice personal things. ‘You’ll be there. When I’m older, you’re going to be here, and we’re going to play it again in this type of circumstance.’ All that good stuff. He’s a great guy for consoling me in that moment.”
This was the third pro match between the two, with Tiafoe winning both previous encounters. Michelsen said after his fourth-round victory that Tiafoe was an "unbelievable guy and a very good friend of mine,” and said similar after Tuesday's defeat.
“I don’t think anyone else could have made me cry in that moment, to be honest,” Michelsen said.
Tiafoe is 28, one of the leaders of American men's tennis and a fan favorite at the U.S. Open, where he has reached his third semifinal. He said Sunday in looking ahead to the match that he had developed a good relationship with Michelsen.
Jessica Pegula said she watched the end of the match before she took the court for her quarterfinal victory over Emma Navarro.
“Just seeing Alex hug him at the end, I started crying in the locker room,” the No. 3-ranked American said. “It was so heartbreaking. My heart hurt so much.”
Michelsen left the court with a towel on his head, raising his arm to acknowledge the cheers from the crowd. Tiafoe told those fans what he thought of Michelsen's performance.
“I mean, he easily could have won today so shout out to Alex Michelsen," Tiafoe said.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Frances Tiafoe, left, of the United States, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) CORRECTION: Corrects Tiafoe to left, not right.
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka thought it was all slipping away. Her U.S. Open title reign and her lengthy hold on the No. 1 ranking in women's tennis were just about gone.
Then Sabalenka proved she's not giving any of it up without a fight.
Sabalenka kept alive her hopes for a third straight U.S. Open title by edging Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) on Tuesday in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup of major champions.
“What a battle. What an incredible player she is and I’m speechless right now because I was pushing myself to the limit in this match, especially in the third set,” Sabalenka said. “I honestly thought that that’s it, the match is over and probably that’s what helped me to kind of like, I don’t know, feel loose and just go after my shots.”
Sabalenka — who needed to win to maintain any hope of keeping the No. 1 ranking — will face No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, who rallied to beat No. 26 Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Sabalenka beat Pegula in the 2024 final and against last year in the semifinals after dropping the first set.
“To me, I think it’s fun to look at the rivalry we’ve had,” Pegula said. “She’s gotten me here the last couple of years. I have been able to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that’s going to be kind of a hurdle for me to get over.”
Sabalenka finished off Tuesday’s match with a second-serve ace to turn back the Wimbledon champion and reach the semifinals in Flushing Meadows for the sixth straight year.
The first men's quarterfinal also went to a match tiebreaker, with No. 11 Frances Tiafoe rallying to beat Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6). He will face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or No. 8 Ben Shelton, who started their quarterfinal match just after 11 p.m. after the first three matches all went long.
The lengthy day session gave Pegula and Navarro a late start, nearly 90 minutes after the usual 7 p.m. beginning of the night session. Navarro was much better once it finally did begin, breaking Pegula's serve twice in the opening set.
Pegula found her best tennis late, winning four straight games to take control after Navarro had broken her for a 2-1 lead in the third set.
Noskova, the No. 6 seed, won her first major title at the All England Club and narrowly missed becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to follow a title on the grass by reaching the final four on the hard courts of New York.
Sabalenka was in danger of her earliest exit at the U.S. Open since going out in the second round in 2020 when Noskova got a break in the third set en route to a 4-2 lead. Sabalenka held and then played one of her best games of the match, breaking at love to tie it at 4-all.
“I just felt at some point in the third set she was definitely serving better than me and putting so much pressure on me,” Sabalenka said. "But I’m glad that I kind of threw that thought away and I was able to focus point by point and, like, literally just trying to build something bigger in that moment.
“I got, not lucky, but I’m happy the way I broke her serve at 3-4. I think I really played a great intensity level of tennis, and that really gave me so much confidence that I still can get the win in this match.”
She did, avoiding her first loss at the U.S. Open since Coco Gauff beat her in the 2023 final.
Noskova finished with 46 winners to Sabalenka's 42, and she hit 18 aces to Sabalenka's 12. Both players were able to end points quickly, and Sabalenka also showed off some impressive speed in tracking down drop shots.
Sabalenka came to the U.S. Open far off her usual form on hard courts, losing in the fourth round in both Toronto and Cincinnati after falling at that stage at Wimbledon. But she had recovered in New York, not dropping a set en route to the quarterfinals.
She appeared struggling to stay under control at one point, changing her racket during the third set while trying to regain her touch. She went behind 2-0 in the match tiebreaker but pulled ahead for good when Noskova double-faulted to make it 4-3, and Sabalenka took the next two points for some critical breathing room.
“Being a break up in the third set, it’s not very easy. Also having a little break at the start of the tiebreak in the third one, as well, it’s frustrating, obviously,” Noskova said.
"But at the same time, Aryna, she played the best tennis that she could in those moments, which didn’t really make it easy for me.”
Sabalenka will lose the No. 1 ranking she has held for 99 consecutive weeks if No. 2 Elena Rybakina beats Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday to reach the semifinals. If Rybakina loses, Sabalenka can keep her hold on it by winning the title.
Noskova finished with her best run at the U.S. Open. She had reached only one major quarterfinal, at the 2024 Australian Open, before beating fellow Czech Karolina Muchova for the Wimbledon title.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Jessica Pegula, of the United States, celebrates after a point against Emma Navarro, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, celebrates winning a match against Alex Michelsen, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts during a match against Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, reaches to return the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, returns the ball to Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, reacts during a match against Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, celebrates winning a match against Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
