Frances Tiafoe is one step closer to the Top 10 breakthrough on the ATP Tour after reaching the 2023 Stuttgart Open semifinals.
To enter the Top 10 for the first time in his career, the 25-year-old American needs to do only one thing, and that's winning the event in Stuttgart. So far, he's been doing great but the sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti stood in his way in the quarterfinals.
After the top-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas lost in the second round, the draw in Stuttgart opened up and Tiafoe wanted to use his chances. But the Italian has been playing well in the German city, eliminating two tricky opponents in the previous rounds.
Yet, until this season, Musetti never won a match on the grass court, and so the conditions certainly suited the American more. Although players exchanged multiple breaks in the first set of the match, it was a typical grass-court set.
It had to be decided in a tie-break, and seven points for the winner were not enough. After four set points of his opponent, Musetti used his only chance, winning the tie-break 8-6 and taking the first set.
But Tiafoe didn't wait with this response and after a set without any breaks, he dominated in the second tie-break of the match. This time, the American won 7-4 to take the match into a decider.
Musetti struggled on his serve in the third set, and Tiafoe doesn't need to be invited twice. He used all three break points that he had and despite being broken once, the second highest-ranked American won the match 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-2 to reach the 2023 Stuttgart Open semifinals.
Now, he needs to win only two more matches to break into the Top 10. But his next opponent can be the only man that stands above him in the United States, the second-seeded Taylor Fritz. After his win, the third seed Tiafoe was happy, looking forward to the next clash.
"It was something, that was for sure. I was really really pissed off after I lost the first set. But I'm glad I stuck with it and competed hard. Good day at the office."
"It was a little breezy at times, I'm not the biggest morning person, so a bit tough to get up. It was a great match, I hope you guys enjoyed, two Top 20 guys in the quarterfinal of 250."
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