Frances Tiafoe confirms his big goal for the rest of 2026 after losing the US Open semifinal to Ben Shelton

Frances Tiafoe suffered another semifinal loss at the US Open on Friday, this time to Ben Shelton at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match ended in a grueling 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5, marking Tiafoe's third semifinal exit in five years. The 23-year-old American will face Alexander Zverev in the final of the ATP Finals, held in Turin, Italy, with the aim of becoming the first American man to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.

Following his defeat, Tiafoe expressed his determination to continue working hard in the remainder of the 2026 ATP season. He admitted to feeling sorry for himself for the next couple of days but vowed to refocus and prepare for the Turin event. Tiafoe stated that he wants to secure a spot in the ATP Finals, a goal he wrote on his vision board earlier in the year.

With his semifinal run, Tiafoe has climbed to sixth in the race for a spot in the Turin final, alongside eight other players. The eight spots are currently occupied by Zverev, Jannik Sinner, Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, Flavio Cobolli, Tiafoe, Arthur Fils, and Daniil Medvedev.