Frances Tiafoe: “You Can’t Win the Tournament in the First Round, But You Can for Sure Lose It” — 11th Seed Outlasts Martin Damm in Five-Set Midnight Thriller
In an opening-round clash that spilled into the early hours of Tuesday morning, two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe survived a grueling five-set test from fellow American Martin Damm inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Dressed in a eye-catching pink kit, the 11th seed weathered a barrage of 28 aces from the 22-year-old lefty to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory after three hours and 48 minutes. The match concluded at 12:50 a.m. local time, improving Tiafoe to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Damm.
With top seeds in the bottom half of the draw—including four-time champion Novak Djokovic and Cincinnati titlist Arthur Fils—already eliminated, Tiafoe stood on the precipice of another high-profile exit when he trailed two sets to one. However, fresh off his runner-up finish at the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, the 28-year-old drew on his big-match experience to complete the comeback.
“You can’t win the tournament in the first round, but you can for sure lose it, so I’m happy to see another day,” Tiafoe said in his on-court interview following the midnight victory.
Digging Deep Under the Louis Armstrong Lights
Damm entered Flushing Meadows riding high after claiming his second career Top 20 win over Daniil Medvedev at the Winston-Salem Open just six days prior. Taking control in the second and third sets with explosive groundstrokes, Damm pushed Tiafoe to the limit.
Tiafoe responded by tightening his focus on serve, breaking early in the fourth set to force a decider. In the fifth set, Tiafoe brought the crowd to its feet with a stunning drop-shot pickup to protect his break lead before serving out the match.
“The last two sets I just wanted to be tough. I was like, ‘If I can get one break and take care of my serve, I’m still in it’,” Tiafoe reflected. “I’ve won a lot of matches I shouldn’t have this year, and today is a testament of that.”
Up Next: Japanese Qualifier Rei Sakamoto
Tiafoe advances to the second round to face 19-year-old Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto. Sakamoto, currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, also earned his spot in the second round via a five-set thriller, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
