By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 15, 2024
Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe joined Taylor Fritz, Marcos Giron and Patrick Kypson in the Delray Beach last eight.
Photo Source: DBO
Five Americans are into the quarterfinals at the 2024 Delray Beach Open, as third-seeded Tommy Paul and second-seeded Frances Tiafoe gained safe passage on Thursday and joined top-seeded Taylor Fritz, Marcos Giron and Patrick Kypson in Friday’s quarterfinal lineup.
Paul was the first to go through, and he had to work the hardest.
The World No.14 barely squeaked by 19-year-old Alex Michelsen, 5-7 6-4 7-6(4). He needed two hours and 55 minutes to advance and stretch his winning streak to five victories. Paul, who won the Dallas title on Sunday, will face Australian Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.
Tiafoe took out Moldova’s Radu Albot in a battle of former champions, 7-6(5), 7-6(4).
The 2018 Delray Beach champ ousted the 2019 champ in their first main draw meeting. Previously, Tiafoe had defeated Albot twice in qualifying competitions, but they had not met since 2017.
It was tricky the whole way for Tiafoe. He had to win the first set in a breaker after squandering a 5-3 lead. In the second set he rallied from 5-2 down to finally finish off the 34-year-old in a tiebreak.
Tiafoe will face 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Below, see the full quarterfinal lineup: