Frances Tiafoe advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open after a hard-fought five-set victory over fellow American Martin Damm Jr. The match, held on August 31 in New York, saw Tiafoe come from behind to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win, preventing an early departure and maintaining hopes of ending the 23-year Grand Slam title drought for American men.

Tiafoe began strongly, taking the first set with controlled serving and limiting Damm’s opportunities to challenge. Despite a taxing run to the Cincinnati Open final earlier in the month, where he battled severe physical fatigue and cramps, Tiafoe appeared physically resilient during the opening set of the U.S. Open. However, Damm responded assertively in the second set, firing seven aces to even the match at one set apiece.

The third set proved challenging for Tiafoe, who struggled with his serve, committing four double faults during the set and a total of six throughout the match. The final game of the third set was particularly tense, featuring multiple break points for both players. Tiafoe was unable to convert four break chances, while Damm faced four set points before eventually closing out the set and taking a 2-1 lead.

The momentum shifted in the fourth and fifth sets as Tiafoe improved his performance, bolstered by strong support from the crowd. He capitalized on three of nine break opportunities across the final two sets, edging ahead to force a deciding set and ultimately sealing the victory. This marked Tiafoe’s deepest run at Flushing Meadows since 2017.

Following the match, Tiafoe acknowledged the difficulty of his comeback, noting the quality of his opponent’s serve and emphasizing his desire to remain resilient under pressure. He will next face Japan’s Rei Sakamoto in the tournament’s second round.