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Workhorses Khachanov, Tiafoe script deep Slam run again
Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe, both US Open semi-finalists, share a journey of resilience and ambition, aiming for their first Grand Slam final.
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Mumbai: Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe, the two unlikely US Open semi-finalists by pre-tournament seedings, have plenty of parallels. Both played their first full Grand Slam season in 2017. Both are into their third Major semi-final. Both are yet to make a final.
Another striking resemblance followed their contrasting quarter-final victories. After Alexander Blockx retired at 6-2, 7-5, 3-2 down on Wednesday, Khachanov engaged in a long chat with Blockx near the net before starting his own muted celebrations. Even there, he asked the crowd to give it up for his injured opponent. A day earlier, after Tiafoe pulled off a five-set heist on match tiebreak from two sets and a break down, he rushed to the net as Alex Michelsen buried his face on Tiafoe’s shoulders and wept. Tiafoe wouldn’t leave his beaten opponent until he had gathered himself. His own moment of joy could wait.
These are two players who have been through all the emotions and ups and downs that tennis can bring along, from the biggest of stages to the smallest of courts. And here they are still, making a deep run in a Slam again.
Deep Dive
Khachanov, the 30-year-old Russian, has reached his first Slam semi-final after three years, and after four in New York. He faces top seed Alexander Zverev on Friday. Tiafoe, the 28-year-old American, will make a third last-four appearance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium after 2022 and 2024. He takes on eighth seed Ben Shelton in the third all-USA men’s singles Slam semi-final this century.
Since 2017, Tiafoe hasn’t skipped a Slam. Khachanov missed only two Wimbledons (in 2022 and 2023), the first because the tournament banned Russians from competing.
The two former top-10 pros epitomise tennis’ workhorses, who continue to turn up season after season, Slam after Slam, hoping to make a deep run somewhere, somehow. Like at this US Open, where the men’s draw was more open than usual.
“This is what we have been dreaming of as a kid – to play in the further stages of these events, and that one day it can come,” Khachanov said after the quarter-final. “It came already a couple of times. So this is a little moment of appreciation, and, at the same time, ambition and motivation for what’s coming next.”
Khachanov knocked out world No.4 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round and 14th seed Learner Tien in the fourth. Before this solid run, his ATP win-loss record was an inconsistent 16-18 for the season, including three third-round Slam defeats. The former world No.8 fell to a ranking of 50th, his lowest since June 2017. He is expected to return to the top 30 next week.
That’s quite a turnaround for a player who came into this tournament on a four-match losing streak from Wimbledon. Yet, throughout that period, Khachanov kept training every day after those early exits.
“You have to be ready always, and whenever the opportunity comes. Or you create those opportunities, and you take them,” he told the ATP. “You can switch this moment.”
Tiafoe, in contrast, has had a fine season. He was the Acapulco runner-up in February, won the Halle title in June and reached the Cincinnati final coming into New York. Making it as far as the semi-final of a Slam was a big deal for Tiafoe in 2022 and 2024. Not in 2026.
“I’ll cherish those two forever, but I’m not that person anymore,” Tiafoe said. “I’m pumped about it, super excited about it, but I don’t feel like, “Oh my god”. I want to keep going. I have higher hopes from myself.”
Neither Tiafoe nor Khachanov is the favourite on paper on Friday. But, much like they have shown up in Slams for a decade, expect them to show up for a fight, at the very least.
