Frances Tiafoe Moves Into US Open Third Round After Defeating Rei Sakamoto
NEW YORK, September 3, 2026: American tennis star Frances Tiafoe strengthened his campaign at the 2026 US Open by defeating Japan’s Rei Sakamoto in straight sets and securing a place in the men’s singles third round.
The 11th-seeded Tiafoe produced a composed performance at Louis Armstrong Stadium, overcoming the Japanese qualifier 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5. The match lasted two hours and 40 minutes.
Tiafoe immediately put pressure on Sakamoto, breaking the Japanese player in the opening game before establishing control of the first set. Sakamoto responded strongly in the second set, breaking Tiafoe early and briefly taking the initiative.
The American quickly recovered the break and eventually forced the set into a tiebreak. Tiafoe remained aggressive when it mattered most, taking the breaker 7-2 and moving within one set of victory.
Sakamoto continued to challenge his more experienced opponent in the third set, but Tiafoe maintained his composure and completed the match without dropping a set.
The Japanese qualifier’s serve remained one of his biggest weapons. Sakamoto fired 18 aces during the contest, but his 40 unforced errors prevented him from converting several promising moments into sustained pressure.
The victory is particularly significant for Tiafoe because it marks his seventh consecutive US Open appearance in which he has reached at least the third round. He had also survived a demanding five-set battle against fellow American Martin Damm in his opening match.
Tiafoe, currently ranked No. 12 in the world, remains one of the leading American contenders in New York. American men’s tennis has been waiting for a homegrown US Open singles champion for 23 years, adding extra attention to Tiafoe’s progress this year.
The American will now prepare for his third-round encounter against the winner of the match between Kamil Majchrzak and Valentin Vacherot. His next challenge will be to maintain the level of consistency that helped him move through the opening two rounds.
With the tournament entering a more competitive phase, Tiafoe’s latest victory keeps his title ambitions firmly alive and gives American fans another reason to follow his run at Flushing Meadows.
