American tennis player Frances Tiafoe harnessed the energy of the enthusiastic crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium to secure his spot in the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open for the third consecutive year, defeating Alexei Popyrin, who recently upset Novak Djokovic, with a score of 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3. Tiafoe, aiming to be the first American man to win a Grand Slam in over 20 years, expressed his excitement about playing on such an iconic court, stating, "Seeing the Williams sisters win titles here, seeing Roger (Federer) win here a million times... I wanted to be part of that, and it brings out the best in me." He will next face ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Despite the early exits of top players like Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, Tiafoe remains focused, emphasizing the importance of taking it one match at a time. "Grand Slams, two weeks, a lot going on. You can't get ahead of yourself," he said. In the match against Popyrin, the Australian fired 24 aces but also struggled with nine double faults and costly unforced errors. Tiafoe showcased his resilience, fending off break points and breaking Popyrin's serve in the opening set.

The match saw momentum shifts, with Popyrin taking the third set after some powerful play. However, he began to tire, allowing Tiafoe to break him again in the final set. Tiafoe clinched the match on his third match point with a forehand winner that grazed the line, celebrating by flexing his muscles to the cheering crowd, a testament to his determination and skill as he progresses in the tournament.