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Rafael Nadal's 22-match unbeaten run at Grand Slams in 2022 came to an end on Monday, as the World No. 3 suffered a shock defeat in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows at the hands of Frances Tiafoe.
The Spaniard's conqueror, a home favorite with only one previous quarterfinal appearance in Majors on a resume that still has several pages to come, was a massive underdog coming into the contest. The duo had faced off twice on the ATP Tour previously, with both meetings going in favor of Nadal.
On Monday, however, the World No. 26 found his rhythm early, taking the first set with an early break of serve. The second set went in favor of the former World No. 1, thanks to a double fault from Tiafoe that missed the deuce line by the smallest of margins.
Just when it looked like Nadal was about to go on another comeback run that he has become notorious for, the 24-year-old stepped up to bring the fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium to their feet. In the end, Tiafoe prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, a scoreline that lays testament to just how dominant he was against an opponent who has made a career out of not being pushed over.
Without further ado, here's everything you need to know about Frances Tiafoe, the American sensation who is about to become the hottest thing in US tennis right now:
Who is Frances Tiafoe?
Born in January 1980, Frances Tiafoe is the son of immigrants who moved to the United States from Sierra Leone, running from the civil war that enveloped the country in the 1980s and 1990s. His father, a maintenance worker, and his mother, a nurse, worked day and night to give Frances and his twin brother Franklin a good life, letting the World No. 26 play tennis as a hobby on the side.
Thanks to their father's second job as a custodian at a tennis training center in Maryland, the Tiafoe brothers had the opportunity to train at the location in their spare time. What started as a hobby soon developed into a career opportunity for the American, who took to the sport like a fish to water.
Even as a junior, he was a prodigal talent, reaching as high as World No. 2 in the ITF Junior rankings. At the age of 14, he won the Les Petits AS -- a tournament that has Nadal, Michael Chang, Kim Clijsters, and Bianca Andreescu, among others, in its champion ranks.
The American also won the prestigious Orange Bowl, joining the ranks of Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Chris Evert, Ivan Lendl, and others as former champions. He also reached the semifinals of the 2014 US Open boy's singles before going on to win the USTA National Championships the following year.
The run would bring Frances Tiafoe into the public eye, earning him a wildcard at the 2015 US Open. Unfortunately, he fell in the first round, the same fate he experienced at the French Open earlier that year.
The World No. 26 spent 2016 languishing in the qualification rounds of Slams, never entering the main draw at any Grand Slam except at Flushing Meadows, where he, with a wildcard, crashed out of the first round once again.
2018 marked Tiafoe's best year on the ATP Tour, where he won his first ATP Title at the Delray Beach Open and broke into the Top-50 in the world rankings. 2019 saw the World No. 26 reach his first Slam quarterfinals, doing so at the Australian Open before falling to Rafael Nadal in straight sets.
The American has finished as the runner-up in three tournaments since then, while never reaching the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam again until this week in New York. Among Top-10 opponents, the 24-year-old has a 25-65 win/loss record, with one win each over Nadal, Andy Murray, and Alexander Zverev most notably.
Frances Tiafoe takes on Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of the US Open
Following his victory over Rafael Nadal, Frances Tiafoe will lock horns with Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open. The Russian had a straightforward win in the third round, beating seventh seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets to set up a meeting with the American.
The pair faced off twice before, sharing their meetings with one win apiece. While Tiafoe took their 2021 US Open encounter in a brilliant five-setter, Rublev outdid him in their clash at the 2022 Indian Wells Open in straight sets.
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