Alex Michelsen broke down crying on court after surrendering a two-set lead against Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals of the US Open. The two American players went head-to-head for a place in the last four, with Michelsen racing ahead to put himself within one set of victory. However, what followed was a dramatic collapse as Tiafoe won the next three, prevailing in a fifth-set tiebreak to complete a stunning comeback.

After hitting a forehand winner to secure a 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 triumph, Tiafoe celebrated for a few seconds before racing over to the net to acknowledge his opponent. It was at this point that Michelsen broke down in tears, clearly devastated at the manner of his defeat. Tiafoe immediately offered a hug and the two players embraced, with Michelsen crying into his opponent’s shoulder.

Tiafoe was outplayed in the first two sets, but managed to stay alive by securing a crucial break when Michelsen was serving for the match at 5-4 in the third.

That moment sparked an incredible turnaround as Tiafoe prevailed in a thrilling contest after four hours and 38 minutes.

Speaking afterwards, the 28-year-old said: “I really like Alex. I really, really do, and I just wanted to come up there and just dap him up.

“I didn’t think it was going to be as long as it was, but I understand the moment. He was definitely crying on my shoulders. We just had some words for each other, and that was it.”

Michelsen added that he didn’t have a lot to say to Tiafoe during their emotional embrace, but called him a “great guy”.

“I was trying to keep it together, and I didn’t do a good job of that,” he said. “He was saying a lot of nice personal things.

You’ll be there, when I’m older, you’re going to be here, and we’re going it play again in this type of circumstance’. All that good stuff. He’s a great guy for consoling me in that moment.”

Michelsen will be left to mull over what could have been if things had gone differently in the third set, when he double-faulted to give Tiafoe a route back into the match.

“You’re four points away from making a semi-final of the US Open, and it’s a horrible way to look at it obviously, because you can only play one point at a time,” he explained.

Honestly, sometimes my arm, I’m like: ‘Oh, it’s so tight’, but I wasn’t that tight. I just kind of missed a couple of serves, and after I double-faulted twice, I was, like: ‘Oh, here we go’.

“It’s not good. I feel like I just handed it to him. Then after that he started playing really good