Tiafoe is hoping to succeed in the ultimate at Flushing Meadows for the primary time, following semi-final defeats by Alcaraz in 2022 and Taylor Fritz in 2024.
But it surely was a straight-set third-round loss to Jan-Lennard Struff in final yr’s event which caused a change in coach – and mentality.
“This time final yr he was shedding matches due to his health, now right here we’re 4 hours and 40 minutes right into a match and he is raining down the quickest serve of the match,” former Grand Slam doubles champion Ryan Harrison informed Sky Sports activities.
“That is why he put the exhausting work in on the health club when no person’s watching. On the finish of final yr when he was having to listen to all of the chatter about his dedication, issues he wasn’t doing effectively – at 28 years outdated it is so exhausting to make a change like that, and his willingness to undergo the method.
“For him to undergo all that work, to struggle to place himself on this place its nice to see.”
Whereas it has taken till now for Tiafoe’s renewed work-ethic to bear fruit in a significant, he’s unequivocal when requested how he compares to the participant that reached the final 4 beforehand in New York.
“I am only a completely different particular person generally,” he mentioned.
“These two runs had been nice, one thing I’ll cherish eternally, however I am not that one who I used to be once I made one in 2022 and once I made one in 2024. I am not that particular person.
“I believe I have been so routine-oriented all yr, simply repeatedly on a routine. Ideally you need to make day-after-day really feel the identical.”
