• Spanish teenager person Carlos Alcaraz reached.
• First Grand Slam final with a five-set prevail over.
• American hope Frances Tiafoe in the US Open semi-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz, 19, will play Norway’s Casper Ruud, who begin his own bid to land a first major, beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov on Friday.

Third seed Alcaraz won 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-3, while fifth seed Ruud procured a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 5-7 6-2 victory.

Whoever wins in Sunday’s last will turn into the new men’s world number one.

The champion will replace Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the last 16 at Flushing Glades, at the highest point of the ATP rankings.

Alcaraz has long been touted as a potential Grand Slam champion and and presently is one victory away from turning into the youngest man to win a major since Rafael Nadal at the French Open in 2005.

The teen got the open door by getting through another epic contest that showed his talent, athleticism and heart.

Beating 22nd seed Tiafoe, which took him over four hours and four match focuses, was the third match in succession where he won an extensive five-setter.

Tiafoe, 24, was aiming to become the first American man to arrive at a US Open final since Andy Roddick in 2006, starting to lead the pack on his fifth set point in the opener when Alcaraz produced a double fault.

Alcaraz had not previously dropped the first set in the tournament, however retaliated to lead by winning 10 of 12 matches going into the fourth set.

Looking flat and weary at this stage of the match, Tiafoe two times break down right off the bat in the fourth. However, he recovered the two breaks to re-energize himself – and the crowd – then, at that point, saved a match point at 5-4 with a nerveless drop shot.

Tiafoe had won all seven previous tie-breaks he had played at Flushing Meadows this fortnight – equaling a record set by Pete Sampras in 2000 – and made it eight to guarantee there would be a deciding set.

After coming back from 2-0 down, Tiafoe hit a double fault to lose his serve for 3-2 and Alcaraz seized the initiative.

An inch-perfect lob from the Spaniard had helped turn the fifth game and he created one more to bring the fourth match point which he converted over when Tiafoe hit a backhand into the net.

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