Tiafoe basks in 'out-of-body' atmosphere from US Open fans

Frances Tiafoe says the crowd at New York’s Louis Armstrong Stadium lifted his US Open fourth-round victory over Daniil Medvedev into something beyond ordinary competition.

The American defeated Medvedev in a performance filled with the charisma and variety that have made him a favorite at Flushing Meadows. The crowd responded with loud support throughout, helping Tiafoe overcome an opponent who had beaten him in six of their previous seven meetings.

“It’s an out-of-body experience, no question. No real explaining that type of feeling,” Tiafoe said. “It’s like you’re not even touching the ground at one point. Energy is so high, and it seems like the level of play matches that.”

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It’s an out-of-body experience, no question. No real explaining that type of feeling. It’s like you’re not even touching the ground at one point. Energy is so high, and it seems like the level of play matches that.

The win was Tiafoe’s 10th in 10 appearances at Louis Armstrong Stadium. He is trying to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory at the US Open. Tiafoe said the stadium’s energy keeps bringing out his best tennis, even though the court itself is no different from others.

Tiafoe has reached the US Open semi-finals before, including in 2022 after beating Rafael Nadal, and also made the last four in 2024. His recent run has come after a difficult period. He retired during a match in Montreal last month and had surgery to remove a cyst from his dominant hand, then reached the Cincinnati final weeks later.

“You just have to keep going. Life is going to hit you. It’s not always peaches and cream every day,” he said. “You have to get yourself up, talk to the man in the mirror, and continue to go.”

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You just have to keep going. Life is going to hit you. It’s not always peaches and cream every day. You have to get yourself up, talk to the man in the mirror, and continue to go.