Frances Tiafoe had a memorable run at the US Open, reaching the semi-finals of his home Grand Slam. The 2026 tournament saw him defeat Alex Michelsen, Daniil Medvedev, and Valentin Vacherot before succumbing to Ben Shelton in the final four. As a result of his performance, Tiafoe achieved a career-high ranking of No. 8 in the world.
Read More
Despite his success, Tiafoe faced criticism for his views on the best-of-five set format in Grand Slam matches. Following his five-set victory over Michelsen, Tiafoe strongly advocated for maintaining the current scoring format. He expressed his admiration for the history of five-set matches, citing classic encounters like those involving Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. “I feel like your slam doesn’t mean as much personally if you get it done in two out of three format,” Tiafoe said in his post-match press conference.
John Lloyd, a former player and commentator, responded to Tiafoe's remarks, calling them ‘nonsense.’ On the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, Lloyd argued that changing to best-of-three sets would not devalue Grand Slam titles. “People’s memories go quickly in that way. And the quality of tennis would go through the roof, particularly in the first week,” he stated.
The best-of-five set debate gained traction during the tournament as several matches extended into the early hours, with some evening sessions concluding after midnight. One match, involving Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz, did not finish until after 3:30 AM. Despite ongoing discussions, there is no indication that Grand Slams will abandon the best-of-five set format for men's tennis.