US Open 2022: Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Carlos Alcaraz vs (22) Frances Tiafoe.
Date: September 9, 2022.
Tournament: US Open 2022.
Round: Semifinal.
Venue: New York, United States.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $60,102,000.
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & ESPN2 | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sony Liv, Sony Ten & Sony Six.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe preview
World No. 4 Carlos Alcaraz will square off against home favorite Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals of the 2022 US Open on Friday.
Following wins over Sebastian Baez, Federico Coria, Jenson Brooksby and Marin Cilic, Alcaraz was up against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.
He started the match by going up a break to lead 2-0. Sinner responded by winning the next three games, but the teenager ran away with the next four to bag the opener. The Italian led 3-1 in the second set, but his younger opponent clawed his way back into the match to get back on serve.
The Italian then saved four set points as he served to stay in the match at 6-5 and clinched the set in the tie-break. Alcaraz led by a break in the third set and served for the set at 6-5, but was unable to close it out. Sinner then played a brilliant tie-break, winning seven straight points to take the set and further consolidate his lead.
Sinner snagged an early break in the fourth set to go 2-0 up. Alcaraz managed to level the score at 3-3, but got broken once again. The Italian then served for the match at 5-4 and even held a match point, but some clutch play from the 19-year-old saw him secure a break of serve instead. He won the next couple of games to nab the set and force a decider.
Sinner was up a break and led 3-2 in the final set, but Alcaraz stepped up his game and reeled off the next four games to win the match 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3. The teenager has now reached his maiden Grand Slam semifinal.
CARLOS ALCARAZ WINS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE MATCHES IN TENNIS HISTORY https://t.co/Cfql1pCwJ4
Frances Tiafoe kicked off his US Open campaign with straight-set wins over Marcos Giron, Jason Kubler and Diego Schwartzman. He notched up one of the biggest wins of his career by defeating Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, which set up a quarterfinal clash against Andrey Rublev.
The duo started the match quite well and refused to cede any ground on their serve. The set then went into a tie-break, which was won by Tiafoe. The second set played out in a similar fashion, with the American clinching another set by playing a flawless tie-break.
The two remained quite steady halfway through the third set. Tiafoe bagged the decisive break in the seventh game to lead 4-3. Rublev was unable to recover from this setback, and the American soon won the match 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0), 6-4 to reach his first Major semifinal.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe head-to-head
Tiafoe leads Alcaraz 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2021 Barcelona Open in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe prediction
Alcaraz's quarterfinal match against Sinner lasted for more than five hours and finished around 3 a.m. While the teenager scampered around the court without missing a beat until the last point, he could feel the after-effects of it later on. Meanwhile, Tiafoe will be well rested, having finished his match earlier in the day.
The Spaniard was tested thoroughly in the previous round, but dug deep to overcome his opponent. He also displayed tremendous mental fortitude after wasting leads in sets two and three, before coming down from a break in the fourth and fifth sets. Tiafoe, on the other hand, has dropped only one set in the tournament so far.
The American hit 18 aces and finished with 46 winners and 38 unforced errors in his quarterfinal match. While Alcaraz's serving numbers pale in comparison, he blasted 58 winners while committing 38 unforced errors.
The teenager's well-rounded game could give Tiafoe a tough time, but the American is capable of going toe-to-toe with his big-hitting game. The duo could also feel some pressure as they seek to reach their first Grand Slam final. This is likely to be a competitive match unless Alcaraz is completely fatigued. The Spaniard has been the more consistent player overall and should be able to edge out his opponent for the win.
Pick: Carlos Alcaraz to win in four sets.
Also Checkout:- US Open 2022 Schedule