It is seemingly becoming an annual tradition. For the third time in as many years, College Park native Frances Tiafoe will spend the first Friday night of August playing in the quarterfinals at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
In each of the prior two tries, Tiafoe fell to the eventual champion. Now- with a primetime showdown against top-seeded Andrey Rublev and a berth in the semis at stake- Tiafoe hopes the third time’s the charm.
“No question, I want that really bad,” Tiafoe said. “Play a good match, win against a quality player in Andrey, that will be really big for me, especially right now.”
Tiafoe returned to the last eight with a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 triumph over Aleksandar Kovacevic Thursday night before another electric crowd on Stadium Court. Tiafoe fired 16 aces and won 83% of his first-serve points in reaching his seventh quarterfinal of the year.
“I want to go deep here and get over that quarterfinal hump losing Friday night. I've had some tough ones. Lost to the last two champions the last two [years], so yeah, hopefully that changes.”
The top-seeded Rublev, a two-time DC semifinalist, held off No.16 Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4), 6-4 on Stadium Thursday night.
The Rublev-Tiafoe match will be among the highlights on a loaded Quarterfinal Friday as several headliners, Grand Slam champions and rising stars continue to vie for a Washington title.
Friday’s blockbuster evening session on Stadium begins with a potential slugfest as top-seed Aryna Sabalenka meets Victoria Azarenka in a battle of two-time Australian Open champions (not before 7 p.m.). The former World No.1 players have 35 WTA titles between them and are widely considered among the heaviest hitters in the game.
BADOSA TAKES ON RADUCANU IN MARQUEE MIDDAY QUARTERFINAL
The day session on Stadium begins at noon as qualifier and 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova takes on Caroline Dolehide.
Paula Badosa and Emma Raducanu will follow in a marquee showdown as the longtime friends meet for the first time on Tour.
Raducanu’s successful grass-court season has seemingly carried over to the US hardcourts. The 2021 US Open champion has reached the quarters in three of her last four tournaments, winning 10 of 13 matches across that stretch.
“I think these conditions, these balls - and she proved it also a few years ago with US Open - it suits her very well,” Badosa said. “She's a very fast player. She has a very fast eye also. And she's playing great. I mean, since Wimbledon she was showing a very high level. I think mentally she's in a good place also.”
DC’S MONTGOMERY REACHES FIRST 500-LEVEL QF
John Harris Court will host the other WTA quarterfinal as DC’s Robin Montgomery takes on Marie Bouzkova (not before 4 p.m.).
Bouzkova saved multiple set points and held off American Taylor Townsend 7-5, 7-6(8) Thursday evening on John Harris.
Montgomery, 19, reached her first 500-level quarterfinal via walkover as Ons Jabeur was forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury.
Montgomery, who is a product of the JTCC in College Park and is in the main draw of her hometown tournament for the first time, has received plenty of support this week while competing in both singles and doubles.
“I think I’m here and I’m showing I can compete with the top players,” Montgomery said this week. “So, I do feel more like, ‘Yeah, I do belong here.’”
A win on Friday would not only secure Montgomery’s first WTA semifinal, but it would also put her in position to crack the Top 100 for the first time in her career.
SHELTON-SHAPOVALOV TO MEET IN WIMBLEDON REMATCH
On the men’s side, it’s been 17 years since an American last won the DC title, but Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda and Alex Michelsen all remain in the mix to end the drought this weekend.
The second-seeded Shelton, who didn’t get to sleep until 4 a.m. after a late-night match Wednesday, overcame a quick turnaround and steamy conditions Thursday afternoon as he outlasted Brandon Nakashima 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to reach his first DC quarterfinal.
The World No.14 will next face Canadian wild card Denis Shapovalov Friday afternoon on Stadium (not before 4 p.m.). Shelton edged Shapovalov in a marathon third-round match last month at Wimbledon.
“I'm really looking forward to playing Shapo again,” Shelton said. “We had a pretty epic five-setter on Court 1 at Wimbledon. He's an explosive player, electric player. Left-handed, which brings a lot of challenges. I'm looking forward to the matchup. He's definitely going to be coming after me. Same with me.”
Shapovalov continued his strong week Thursday rallying to beat No.12 Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to secure his first quarterfinal berth since returning from a six-month layoff due to a knee injury.
“I’m definitely very happy,” Shapovalov said, after reaching his 38th career quarterfinal, but his first since January 2023 (Adelaide).
“It’s been a long way back since my injury so I’m definitely happy to be playing the way that I am and to get the win today means a lot. We’ve been putting in a lot of work, me and the team, so it’s a big accomplishment and hopefully I can keep going.”
KORDA, COBOLLI SAVE MULTIPLE MATCH POINTS TO ADVANCE
The fourth-seed Korda reached the last eight after Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis retired with the American leading 6-7(1), 7-5, 3-2. Korda rallied from 2-5 down in the second set and saved multiple match points. Korda will face No.7 Jordan Thompson in the nightcap on John Harris.
The youngest player remaining in the men’s draw, 19-year-old Alex Michelsen beat Korean qualifier Seongchan Hong 6-3, 6-3 in 80 minutes to reach his sixth quarterfinal of the year. The youngest player ranked inside the Top 100, Michelsen is fresh off reaching his second career ATP final in Newport.
“Feeling really good,” Michelsen said Thursday afternoon. “Feel like I’ve won a lot of matches recently. I believe winning breeds winning, so making the final in Newport has something to do with me with doing well here.”
In position to crack the Top 50 for the first time in his career, the personable Californian will face Italian Flavio Cobolli in the second match Friday on Stadium Court (not before 2 p.m.).
Cobolli advanced by saving five match points and rallying to beat No.8 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 1-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(6) in the longest match of the tournament at three hours and 14 minutes.
