Everything that happened on Day 9 of the US Open with Navarro, Fritz and Tiafoe advancing to the semifinal (2024)

Men's quarterfinals

• Taylor Fritz (12) beat Alexander Zverev (4) in four sets
• Frances Tiafoe (20) won in walkover after Grigor Dimitrov (9) retired

Women's quarterfinals

• Emma Navarro (13) beat Paula Badosa (26) in straight sets
• Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Zheng Qinwen (7) in straight sets

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With Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz facing off in the semifinals on Friday:

• The U.S. is guaranteed a men's Grand Slam finalist for the first time since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009, and guaranteed a U.S. Open men's finalist for the first time since Roddick in 2006.
• This match will be the first all-American men's semifinal at a major since Andre Agassi beat Robby Ginepri at the 2005 U.S. Open.
• The U.S. is one win away from its first men's major winner since Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open.

Trailing 4-1 in the fourth set and clearly dealing with a leg injury, Grigor Dimitrov retires.

That means that Frances Tiafoe advances to the semifinals! His second Grand Slam semifinal appearance after the 2022 U.S. Open.

You have to feel for Dimitrov. He's reached three career Grand Slam semifinals but never a final, and at 33 years of age, he might not get many more chances.

In between the third and fourth sets, Dimitrov took a break to receive medical treatment in the dressing room. He appears to be dealing with an injury to one of his legs that's limiting his movement.

After Tiafoe quickly held serve to open the fourth set, Dimitrov took a 40-15 lead in his service game before losing the next four points to give Tiafoe a break.

Tiafoe leads 2-0, Dimitrov may retire before this set is up.

After a second set that lasted one hour and 12 minutes, the third set is over after only 39 minutes. After Tiafoe broke Dimitrov to take a 3-2 lead, he consolidated to 4-2 before each player held serve to make it 5-3.

From there, Dimitrov was facing set point but double faults yet again to hand Tiafoe a two-sets-to-one lead!

So many dips and rises in five-set tennis. Right now it looks like Grigor's five-setter in the fourth round is catching up with him, which may be Tiafoe's best chance.

But surges of energy are always just a break of serve away.

Dimitrov saves one break point but facing another, he misses into the net and Tiafoe grabs hold of the third set!

Tiafoe leads 3-2 and will serve next.

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I'm sure there's been three double faults in a row to end a tiebreaker, but I've not seen it. That kind of characterized what has been a tight match the last hour but also one that's lacking some energy and buzz.

Frances has got to use some energy to get the crowd into it. Dimitrov is pulling off some miracles that are stabbing at his heart.

Tiafoe answers back with his own double fault, and Dimitrov wins the tiebreak 7-5!

That tiebreak ended with three consecutive double faults. You don't see that often.

We're level at one set apiece.

Back-to-back double faults on set point by Dimitrov!

We're back on serve but Dimitrov still has set point, leading 6-5.

Two un-returnable serves by Dimitrov and he goes back in front 4-3.

On the next point he gets the first mini-break of the tiebreak, working Tiafoe back-and-forth across the court.

Dimitrov leads 5-3, and that's quickly 6-3 when he hits a vicious return on Tiafoe's next serve.

Triple set point for Dimitrov.

Two fantastic, assertive points by Tiafoe and he leads 3-2.

Still no mini-break yet.

At 30-30, Tiafoe has an opportunity to give himself a set point, but hits into the net from close range. That's a real missed opportunity.

Instead, Dimitrov wins the next point and we're headed to a tiebreak!

Dimitrov shows incredible athleticism and court coverage to take a 30-0 lead on Tiafoe's service game, but the American quickly wins the next three points to go up 40-30. A Dimitrov winner on the next point gets him to deuce, but a pair of un-returnable serves from Tiafoe closes out the game.

Tiafoe leads the second set 6-5, Dimitrov will serve to force a tiebreak.

Tiafoe takes a 30-15 lead with Dimitrov serving but the Bulgarian wins the next three points to hold serve.

5-5 in the second set.