Carlos Alcaraz saved his best tennis for the most crucial moments of the first set against Frances Tiafoe.
The Spanish sensation saved four set points in a set that was about as even as a set of tennis could be with a series of massive serves and smooth, laserlike ground strokes. It looked as though Tiafoe had given up a golden opportunity to grab the early edge in their semifinal duel.
But on the fifth set point, Alcaraz cracked, double-faulting to give Tiafoe the first lead of the night, and the set 7-6 (6).
Tiafoe has still dropped just one set in five matches at the U.