US Open tennis 2026: Tiafoe beats Medvedev, Alcaraz sees off Paul, Sabalenka and Noskova win on day eight – as it happened
Key events
And that’s us done for this session. Stay tuned for Tumaini Carayol’s report from today’s action.
Tiafoe has been superb recently, he’s asked why. “I don’t want to put any secrets out,” he says with a laugh. “I’m coming forward and I’m having fun. Put that altogether and you’re in the quarter-finals of the US Open.”
Tiafoe is 10-0 on Louis Armstrong. He’s asked about why he loves the venue. “It’s been amazing playing in this court, the energy is amazing. It’s the people’s court,” he says.
A brilliant performance from Frances Tiafoe, who looked sound in every aspect of his game today. He will face compatriot Alex Michelsen in the quarters.
Tiafoe beats Medvedev
Tiafoe serves for the match. He sends his first serve long. The second isn’t great but Medvedev finds the net and Tiafoe is through the quarter-finals.
A superb backhand from Tiafoe leaves Medvedev sprawling and it’s match point for the American …
Tiafoe to serve 4-5 down. Medvedev can only return the first serve into the net and we’re level at 5-5. After a long rally, Tiafoe hits long and Medvedev has set point on his own serve at 6-5. But some superb work at the net, from Tiafoe this time, level the score at 6-6. The New York crowd roar in appreciation.
Tiafoe looks to have held serve with a drop shot but some lovely play at the net from Medvedev gives him the mini-break at 4-3. But he can’t consolidate and we’re back on serve again at 4-4.
And a double fault from Medvedev kills his momentum and we’re at 2-2 on serve in the tiebreak. He makes it 3-2 before we head to Tiafoe’s serve and a strong serve helps him to 3-3 as we change ends.
Medvedev gets the first break of the tiebreak to lead 2-1 and gain a crucial advantage as he attempts to stay in the match.
Big Foe has volleyed superbly today, taking advantage of Medvedev’s position behind the baseline – he’s pretty far back now, having spent some time on the paint – to sneak in. He holds to 15, so here comes a potentially decisive breaker … which Tom Lutz will bring you. So it’s goodnight from me, and good evening from him.
Tiafoe has handled pressure really well today, holding to 15 to stay in the set at 5-5. And as if to prove how comfy he is out there, a forehand on the run changes the complexion of the rally, then a perfect drop takes him to 15-all. But from there, Medvedev quickly secures his hold; can Tiafoe do likewise and force a breaker?
…but Medvedev isn’t having it, serving his way out of immediate danger to lead 5-4 in the third.
And then there was one;,Tiafoe leading Medvedev 2-0 4-4, and at 15-30, he has a chance to try and get the match finished…
Michelsen is every bit as happy as you’d expect. He’s not dropped a set in the tournament and isn’t “super-surprised” with his progress as he’s been working hard for years. He’s 0-4 against Tiafoe and 0-2 against Medvedev, but if he plays the former it’d probably be on Ashe, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Alex Michelsen beats Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(6) 6-4 6-4
At 22, Michelsen reaches his first major quarter-final, in which he’ll face Medvedev or Tiafoe.
Michelsen though, plays a really good point, a second serve catching the edge of the service box and a backhand volley bringing us to deuce; a big serve saves him when he’s down advantage. Meantime, Tiafoe hods to love, a pirouette at net helping him find a volley for a ball that’s behind him, obscene behaviour, and he leads 2-0 3-3.
A 57-second hold for Medvedev, who trails 0-2 3-2; Michelsen is under pressure serving for the match at 30-40.
This is a really excellent performance from Tiafoe – though there were breaks in set one, he’s looked dialled-in throughout and his shot-selection has been very good. But he nets for deuce serving at 2-1, while on Grandstand, Etcheverry holds, meaning Michelsen must serve for the match at 7-6 6-5 5-4.
As they are now, Tiafoe making 15-40 then collaring a return lashed down the line; we’re back oin serve in third, the American by two sets to love.
Indeed he can. Annoyingly, my coverage drops out, returning in time for me to see that he’s broken for 0-2 2-0, still in this thing and fighting, The problem he has is not really having the weapons to blow opponents away, which means in big matches, things are necessarily difficult for him.
I’m really enjoying Tiafoe’s performance today – I like the way he’s mixing it up and taking it to Medvedev, expecting to win. Medvedev, though, holds for 0-2 1-0, then ushers a backhand down the line for a winer and 0-15. Can he parlay the start into something more significant?
It looks like we’re getting all-American quarter, Michelsen finding a winner for 30-40, then unleashing a forehand before sealing the break with an overhead. He leads 2-0 3-2, and is three holds away.
Both players leave court; on Grandstand, Michelsen leads Etcheberry 2-0 2-2.
Brilliant from Tiafoe, making advantage then changing the flow of the next point with a forehand coming in. But there’s work yet to do, an over-the-shoulder backhand volley followed by another, and Armstrong explodes, Big Foe beating his big chest. He leads 7-6 6-4, and Medvedev is in deep trouble.
Medvedev holds, forcing Tiafoe to serve for the set, and he controls his emotions well, skipping in to guide a backhand winner down the line for 15-all; a service winner follows. So when a return is netted, he holds two set points, missing the first … and the second, losing patience in a long rally and hitting long. To deuce we go, tension ratcheting up.
Lovely from Medvedev who, at 30-all, clobbers a backhand to the corner, then makes space at net to raise break point with a tricky putaway. Tiafoe, though, eager to hang on to his break, finds a service winner followed by an outstanding stooping volley almost from behind him – the return was goodun too – then secures a crucial hold with another gigantic delivery. BF leads 7-6 5-3, a game away from the second set.
Tiafoe holds for 7-6 4-2 and this set is progressing much more swiftly that it’s forebear; Medvedev quickly arranges a hold of his own to keep his opponent honest, but he’s running out of road in this set.
Michelsea makes 40-15, wallops down an ace, and leads Etcheverry 7-6 6-4. It’ll take something monumental for the clay-court specialist to come back from here.
At 2-2, a Tiafoe drop and overhead earns him 15-40, and he then finds a terrific angle on the forehand when going cross, cutting the court in half and opening the space for a flat one down the line of frankly terrifying power. It feels like a big moment in the match and, at 7-6 3-2, he leads by a set and a break.
Michelsen holds for 7-6 5-3, and he’s a game away from taking a 2-0 lead. The winners of the two matches currently on court meet in the last eight.
“Thank you for sharing this tremendous interview,” emails Martin Davies. “Number five was a genuine WTF moment for those of us who remember Alan McGee signing him to Creation in 1997. Also, McConaughey has a very silly high laugh completely at odds with his regular voice.”
It’s great, isn’t it? And what a boss his older brother sounds.
Tiafoe holds, then from 40-0, fights back to deuce; trouble for Medvedev, who serves a double when up advantage. But from there, he secures his hold and a 2-1 lead in the second.
Gah, only berry ones left. Why do bad things happen to good people? Medvedev holds easily at the start of set two, while Michelsen leads Etcheverry 7-6 4-2.
And Tiafoe is soon bouncing, taking the breaker 7-1 after a 74-minute set. Medvedev will be feeling very, very poorly after putting so much into that; by way of empathy, I’m off downstairs to grab a Fruit-Pastille lolly.
Tiafoe snatches an early mini-break, consolidating it with an inside-out forehand that’s almost a table-tennis shot, cranking up serious power. And another break, then another, take him to 6-1, a tight set suddenly accelerating, Medvedev perhaps still smarting after making a mess of serving it out.