Tiafoe becomes first US man to reach US Open semis in 16 years

Frances Tiafoe on Wednesday defeated Russia’s Andrey Rublev, becoming the first American man to reach the US Open semifinals since Andy Roddick in 2006.

Tiafoe, who famously ended Rafael Nadal’s US Open campaign in the fourth round, took down ninth seed Rublev 7-6(3), 7-6(0), 6-4 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Seeing people like screaming your name, just loving what you’re doing. That’s awesome,” the 24-year-old said in the post-match interview. “You know, everyone loves a Cinderella story. Just trying to make one.”

Humble background
Tiafoe’s father worked as a caretaker at the Junior Tennis Champions Center and his mother worked as a nurse after the family fled the civil war in Sierra Leone to make a fresh start in America.

“Anybody can do it,” he said of his rise to stardom from humble beginnings. “If you are truly, truly passionate about something, I think anything can happen.”