WATCH: Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield sheds tears as he survives intense thriller against Ben Shelton to exact revenge in US Open rematch
Frances Tiafoe emerged victorious in the highly anticipated all-American showdown at the 2024 US Open, triumphing over Ben Shelton. Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield was moved by the 26-year-old's hard-fought victory, shedding tears in a heartfelt display of emotion.
Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton engaged in a closely contested battle for a spot in the fourth round of their home Slam. While Shelton attempted to take a 3-0 lead in his head-to-head record against his compatriot, Tiafoe sought redemption after his loss to the 21-year-old in the quarterfinals of the New York Major last year.
Shelton clinched the opening set 6-4 to gain an early edge, but the World No. 2 fought back to secure the second set and level the scores. Although the 21-year-old edged past his compatriot to win the third-set tiebreak, Tiafoe held his nerve to claim a 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 victory after an intense four-hour and three-minute battle, exacting revenge for his loss from last year's US Open.
As the 26-year-old reveled in his triumph, his coaching team and loved ones present in his players box rejoiced passionately. Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield was also moved by his dramatic win, shedding tears as she joined in the celebrations.
Broomfield has been by Tiafoe's side during his campaign at the New York Major, cheering him on from the sidelines. The American recently shed light on Broomfield's role in his relaxing pre-match routine, disclosing that he enjoys spending quality time with his girlfriend instead of stressing about his upcoming match.
"I’m a very relaxed guy; I don’t really stress out much. If I’m playing in the evening, I’m not really thinking about it until I get in in a car to go. In the morning I’m just chilling. I’ll walk with my girl, get latte in the morning," Tiafoe said in a recent press conference.
Frances Tiafoe to take on Novak Djokovic or Alexei Popyrin in US Open 4R after win over Ben Shelton
Frances Tiafoe is aiming to become the first American man to triumph at the US Open since Andy Roddick's victory in 2023. As the 26-year-old inches closer to his goal, he will take on the winner of the match between Alexei Popyrin and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.
Tiafoe will likely prefer to face Popyin in their first tour-level encounter, having lost both his previous matches against the Serb. Djokovic claimed a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory in their most recent meeting at the 2022 Laver Cup.
If Frances Tiafoe emerges victorious in his fourth-round clash, he will square off against Andrey Rublev or Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals of the New York Major, with Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev potentially looming as his semifinal opponents.