Frances Tiafoe’s U.S. Open run nearly was cut short by his countryman.
Only one of Tiafoe or Martin Damm Jr. could go on in hopes of ending the 23-year Grand Slam title drought for American men, but Tiafoe prevailed after rallying from down two sets to one to take a 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over the Florida native.
“Tennis is tennis, and obviously it’s fitting to have it here in New York,” Tiafoe said during his on-court interview. “It was a crazy match. He had such a good serve. … In the last two sets, I just wanted to be tough. … I’ve won matches this year that I shouldn’t have.”
Tiafoe looked sturdy in his first set of the tournament, holding firm on his serve and leaving Damm little opportunity to counter. And after a grueling run to the Cincinnati Open final earlier this month, when he battled extreme physical fatigue and painful cramps later in the tournament, Tiafoe appeared to be handling the physical demand just fine.
Responding with a strong service game of his own, however, Damm blasted seven aces on his way to evening the match at one set apiece.
That’s when the match got dicey for Tiafoe, who double-faulted four times in the third set alone before finishing with six on the night.
The final game of the third set could’ve been a major blow to Tiafoe. Failing to convert on four break points, Tiafoe found himself locked at deuce with Damm a whopping seven times.
Damm required four set points of his own before he could put the set away and take a 2-1 lead.
The crowd was behind Tiafoe as he ramped up his game in the final two sets to avoid what would’ve been his earliest exit in Flushing since 2017. Tiafoe had the advantage in the return game and secured three out of nine total break chances, which helped him separate himself from Damm.
Tiafoe, who has never made it past the semifinals of the U.S. Open, will face Japan’s Rei Sakamoto in Round 2.
