Frances Tiafoe dreaming big after quarter-final triumph over fellow American

[p]The 11th seed ‌has provided treasured memories for the home fans in ‌New York, from his dragon-slaying defeat of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nadal-rafael/xUwlUnRK/"]Rafa Nadal[/a] en route ‌to the 2022 semi-final, to his blockbuster win over ‌compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Ben Shelton[/a] two years ago.[/p][p]But the Cincinnati runner-up this year is ready to write a new chapter this time around, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/michelsen-a-nDIhfm9l/tiafoe-f-AHDLJaph/?mid=bmsTFvCm"]after a ‌roller-coaster comeback[/a] performance against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/michelsen-alex/nDIhfm9l/"]Alex Michelsen[/a] over ⁠five sets.[/p][embed guid="4b43cbb1-2b59-4320-bcf6-4793de5a3bda" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ljGoL7be0" social-type="youtube" /][p]"[b]I'm just a ‌different person in general. Those two runs (to the semi-finals) were great, ​something I will cherish forever, but I'm not that person who I was when I made one in ​2022 and when I made one in '24. I'm not that person. I'm excited to see what this me does,[/b]" ⁠said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiafoe-frances/AHDLJaph/"]Tiafoe[/a], who plays either ​Shelton or defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] next.[/p][p]"[b]I have higher hopes for myself. So yeah, it's great. The tournament is still going. There's a lot more tennis to be played, a ‌lot more sets to be played, and a lot more physical things to be done. We're going to enjoy this, but we got to keep going.[/b]"[/p][p]Tiafoe advances with the ever-present American men's major drought looming over him, with U.S. fans having seen their hopes lifted - and then dashed - many times over the 23 years since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roddick-andy/UDkyswKh/"]Andy Roddick[/a] last lifted the trophy in New York.[/p][embed guid="d9fb9896-7793-4358-a8c1-38ac53c5f8ac" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFzc1lzdkec" social-type="youtube" /][p]"[b]I mean, the women's side, they've ‌been killing it for so long. It's not something new,[/b]" ​said Tiafoe, giving a wide smile as he rattled ‌off a list of achievements from his female counterparts.[/p][p]"[b]But the guys, we've been doing pretty well. Someone is always going deep in majors... I mean, hopefully we can do the thing, and that's ultimately try to do ⁠the thing after two ⁠weeks. That's like the ‌next big step.[/b]"[/p]