American Frances Tiafoe has returned to the US Open quarterfinals and took a moment to acknowledge actor Tony Goldwyn.

 Frances Tiafoe, the American tennis player who reached the US Open semifinals two years ago, is making another impressive run in New York. After his victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium, he took a moment to acknowledge a special member of the audience before leaving the court.

With the crowd cheering him on, Tiafoe defeated his friend, No. 28 Alexei Popyrin of Australia, with a score of 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 in just over three hours, marking his advancement to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.

“I always dreamt about playing on this court,” Tiafoe expressed after his win. “As a kid, I would hit against the wall and aspire to compete here. Seeing the Williams sisters and Roger Federer win titles here inspired me. I wanted to be part of this iconic venue named after Arthur Ashe. It brings out the best in me, and the fans make it so enjoyable.”

As Chris Eubanks, Tiafoe's friend and ESPN commentator, attempted to conclude the on-court interview, Tiafoe seized the microphone to express his admiration for actor Tony Goldwyn, who was in the crowd. “Yo, I’m a huge fan of you, bro. My girl and I used to watch ‘Scandal’ all the time,” he said.

Looking ahead, Tiafoe will face No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals. Dimitrov, the oldest player remaining in the draw at 33, recently defeated No. 6 Andrey Rublev in a grueling match that lasted nearly four hours.

Tiafoe and Popyrin had never faced each other before, but Popyrin, who previously upset Novak Djokovic in the third round, praised Tiafoe’s performance, acknowledging his friend's high level of play. “He’s playing some scary tennis,” Popyrin remarked.

As no American man has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick's US Open victory in 2003, Tiafoe aims to break that drought. In 2022, he reached the semifinals after defeating both Rafael Nadal and Rublev but fell to the eventual champion, Carlos Alcaraz.

In addition to Tiafoe, another American, No. 12 Taylor Fritz, has also advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating No. 8 Casper Ruud in four sets. Fritz, now reaching his fifth Grand Slam quarterfinal, is determined to push further this time around.

Next, Fritz will take on No. 4 Alex Zverev, who recently bested unseeded American Brandon Nakashima. Meanwhile, No. 14 Tommy Paul remains in the tournament, set to face world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.